January 8, 2014
Asahi Kasei Corp.
Asahi Kasei Fellow Dr. Akira Yoshino has been chosen for the 2014 Charles Stark Draper Prize for Engineering in recognition of his groundbreaking contributions to the creation of the lithium-ion battery (LIB). Together with co-recipients John Goodenough, Yoshio Nishi, and Rachid Yazami, the prize recognized Dr. Yoshino “for engineering the rechargeable lithium-ion battery that enables compact, lightweight mobile devices.”
The Charles Stark Draper Prize is awarded annually by the US National Academy of Engineering to people who made outstanding contributions to engineering. It has been called the Nobel Prize of Engineering. Dr. Yoshino is the second Japanese recipient of the prize, following last year. The award ceremony will be held in February in Washington, D.C.
Dr. Yoshino invented a completely new combination of carbon for the negative electrode and LiCoO2 (lithium cobalt oxide) for the positive electrode, developed the fundamental technology for the LIB which uses aluminum as positive current collector material, and fabricated the world’s first LIB cell. He also developed other technologies that were essential for the successful commercialization of the LIB, including technology for fabricating electrodes, technology for assembling batteries, and other technology that made the LIB possible as a small, lightweight rechargeable battery.
Not only has the LIB facilitated widespread adoption of many portable electronic devices such as mobile phones and notebook computers, but it is also increasingly used in electric vehicles as an environmentally friendly means of transportation.
Major patents related to the LIB
| Patent number | Title | Filing date (Registration date) |
Inventors |
|---|---|---|---|
| Japanese Patent No. 1989293 |
Secondary battery | May 10, 1985* (November 8, 1995) |
Akira Yoshino Kenichi Sanechika Takayuki Nakajima |
| Japanese Patent No. 2128922 |
Nonaqueous secondary battery |
May 28, 1984 (May 2, 1997) |
Akira Yoshino Kenichi Sanechika |
| Japanese Patent No. 2642206 |
Explosion-proof secondary battery | December 28, 1989 (May 2, 1997) |
Akira Yoshino Kazuhiko Nakanishi Akira Ono |
| Japanese Patent No. 2668678 |
Secondary battery | November 8, 1986 (July 4, 1997) |
Akira Yoshino Masahiko Shikata |
| Japanese Patent No. 3035677 |
Secondary battery with safety element | September 13, 1991 (February 25, 2000) |
Akira Yoshino Katsuhiko Inoue |
| USP 4,668,595 | Secondary battery | May 10, 1985* (May 26, 1987) |
Akira Yoshino Kenichi Sanechika Takayuki Nakajima |
* Priority date.
See attachment: Profile of Dr. Akira Yoshino
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