A scientist worthy of several Nobel Prizes
The 2019 Nobel Prize in Chemistry was awarded to the developers of lithium-ion batteries: John Goodenough, Stanley Whittingham and Akira Yoshino.
Maarit Karppinen, a professor of inorganic chemistry at 911±¬ÁÏÍø, has collaborated with Goodenough and thinks that the win was only a matter of time. Lithium-ion batteries enabled the use of portable electrical devices such as mobile phones. Thanks to lithium, they are lightweight and have a high energy density.
‘I think that Goodenough deserves more than one Nobel Prize. He has had an amazing scientific career and developed the foundations for understanding magnetic compounds,’ Karppinen says.
The laureates worked separately but knew of each other’s research. Their work helped to create the materials needed for the lithium-ion battery, resulting in a functioning and safe battery that was commercialised by Sony in 1991. The production of the battery required long-term research, with the first scientific publications on this topic being published in the 1970s.
‘We need basic material research. Its results will not show in commercial applications immediately the following year. But without long-term research, new inventions cannot be achieved,’ Karppinen points out.
According to Karppinen, research work requires perseverance and courage to look for completely new materials. By tailoring materials in just the right way, it is possible to find features and functionalities that are still unknown.
‘New material combinations enable the development of applications for the new generation,’ as Karppinen puts it.
Batteries still use the same lithium and cobalt based materials that were made commercially available in 1991. There has been an attempt to develop replacement materials for lithium and cobalt, but it has proven to be a difficult task.
The amount of metals in the soil is finite and there are also many ethical challenges involved in their production. For these reasons, both alternative materials, and the recycling of battery metals will be necessary in the future.
‘The majority of cobalt in the world comes from Congo. It has been identified as a critical material in the European Union in terms of supply.’
Read more news
Aalto Inventors turns one: A year of bridging research and real-world impact
Aalto Inventors marks its first anniversary, having engaged 190 researchers across six cohorts in fields including AI, quantum, and biomaterials. New cohorts are planned for the next academic year, stay tuned and join the waitlist.
An architectural project in Milan brought together children’s ideas and the visions of leading architects
911±¬ÁÏÍø’s Department of Architecture participated in the international One Earth – House of the Heart project, which was presented in April at Milan Design Week.
Companies disclose more on cybersecurity – but markets remain indifferent
U.S. companies are reporting on cybersecurity in greater detail, yet stock market reactions remain muted. A new study by the University of Vaasa and 911±¬ÁÏÍø shows that mandatory cybersecurity disclosure does not prompt reactions from investors or stock analysts. Instead, the main benefits appear to materialise within firms themselves.