By JENNA SKARLUPKA, Reporter
MACOMB, Illinois (NEWS3) – The year 2021 marks the 10th anniversary of the Nobel Prize lecture series hosted by Western Illinois University’s Physics Department.
This year’s lecture on March 26, delivered by physics professor P.K. Babu, is titled “Development of Lithium-Ion Batteries – Technology that Revolutionized Energy Storage.” The lecture honors John B. Goodenough, M. Stanley Whittingham and Akira Yoshino, who share 2019’s Nobel Prize in Chemistry for their work in developing the rechargeable battery.
Goodenough and Whittingham conducted research on the battery in the 1970s and 1980s, and Yoshino developed a prototype Li-ion battery in 1985 based on their research. A team at the Sony Corp. developed a commercial Li-ion battery in 1991. The batteries are found in many electrical tools and appliances, including tablets, laptops and smartphones.
The lecture, which is open to the public, will take place at 3 p.m. via Zoom. Those interested can access the lecture at bit.ly/WIUPhysicsColloquium. To learn more about the WIU Physics Department, visit wiu.edu/physics.
