17-09-2018

Pioneer of lithium-ion batteries visits MEET and HI MS

You do not get such an exciting visitor every day. On Monday (17.09.2018), scientists from the MEET Battery Research Center (University of Münster, WWU) and the Helmholtz-Institute Münster (HI MS, Forschungszentrum Jülich) welcomed none other than Dr. Akira Yoshino, the inventor of the lithium-ion energy storage technology.

During his visit, the Japanese chemist learnt more about battery research in Münster and gave an exciting lecture on the future of lithium-ion batteries in the automotive sector. He was welcomed by Prof. Michael Quante, Vice Rector for International Affairs and Transfer at WWU, and Prof. Martin Winter (scientific director MEET and founding director HI MS).

From left: Dr. Falko Schappacher (MEET), Sebastian Schmidt (Asahi Kasei), Dr. Hideyuki Yamagishi (Asahi Kasei), Dr. Adrienne Hammerschmidt (MEET), Dr. Akira Yoshino (Asahi Kasei), Yuto Iizuka (Asahi Kasei), Prof. Dr. Martin Winter (MEET & HI MS), Prof. Dr. Michael Quante (WWU), Hiromi Nakafutami (Asahi Kasei)
© MEET/Pia Niehues

Anyone, who associates the 1980s primarily with mix tapes, mullets or Marty and Doc in "Back to the Future", does not have the full picture. For researchers in the field of electrochemical energy storage systems, the 1980s marked the beginning of the era of lithium-ion batteries. At that time, the chemist Akira Yoshino succeeded in developing the lithium-ion battery (LIB) into a storage technology ready for series production. Since then, the LIB has not only been widely used in laptops or mobile phones, but has also contributed to the creation of an environmentally friendly alternative to the internal combustion engine through its use in electric mobility. Akira Yoshino has been and still is conducting research for Asahi Kasei Corporation, a global chemical company headquartered in Tokyo, Japan.

In order to bring young researchers in contact with different research focuses, interdisciplinary perspectives, but also the value of knowledge and innovation, MEET and HI MS regularly host guest lectures by important experts from the field of electrochemistry. The founder of lithium-ion technology plays a special role for the research institutions MEET and HI MS, where around 200 battery researchers are intensively involved with this storage technology. During his lecture at the MEET, Mr. Yoshino was pleased to welcome an attentive and interested audience of about 70 young researchers. During a subsequent round of discussions, they were also able to put their own questions to the famous chemist.