美国发明家的电池技术或改变世界

 

American inventor John Goodenough first started working on battery technology more than 40 years ago.

Goodenough actually co-invented lithium-ion batteries in 1980. This eventually led to a revolution in the electronics¹ industry because those devices were smaller and provided more electricity than other fuel cells.

Sony Corporation was the first business to commercially develop the lithium-ion technology.

In 1991, Sony launched worldwide sales of lithium-ion batteries. They enabled the company to start producing small video cameras and other devices that soon became very popular. The same technology is still used today to power most personal devices.

Now, John Goodenough is 94-years-old. He continues working as an engineering professor at the University of Texas in Austin.

Goodenough recently announced what he believes is another major development in battery technology. He and his engineering team have produced the first-ever solid-state battery cells. He hopes this latest invention will shake up the electronics world.

Researchers say the new, solid-state batteries can hold more power, charge faster, and do not get as hot as ones currently² in use. They have at least three times as much energy density³ as today’s lithium-ion batteries, notes Goodenough.

He said the main difference between the old and new technology is that the latest battery cells use parts made of glass, instead of liquid.

“I was trying to improve the lithium-ion battery that you use in your cell telephone that has several problems,” Goodenough said, explaining how he made the discovery. He said a big problem with liquid parts is they can catch fire under some conditions.

John Goodenough said his latest discovery also has the possibility to solve many other problems with current batteries. These include cost, energy density, rates of charge and discharge and battery life.

While his first invention helped start a wireless⁴ revolution, he hopes the latest one will help support many forms of sustainable energy.

The goal is to use the new batteries to store energy produced by renewable sources, such as the sun and wind. This energy could then be used to run electric vehicles or to provide power for homes.

“A rechargeable battery is the most convenient way to store electric power. It can be stored either as stationary⁵ storage for the (electrical) grid⁶, or it can be stored in portable⁷ batteries for electric cars and for many other applications.”

Goodenough is a big supporter of electric-powered cars. He first got interested in them during America’s energy crisis⁸ in the 1970s. But one of the major issues slowing their development over the years has been the lack of powerful, low-cost, long-lasting batteries.

He believes his new technology can provide major improvements for electric cars in the future. He said the current vehicles have a long way to go to meet the high demands of drivers.

“They’d like to have a car that would be as convenient as your modern car, have a bigger driving range. You’d like to able to charge it very quickly – maximum 10 minutes. They would like it to be no more expensive than your present car is. At the present moment you’re just not quite able to reach that goal. And I’m hoping that what we’ve developed will allow us to reach that goal.”

John Goodenough said he believes there is great potential for his new batteries to be widely used in phones and other personal devices. But to be truly successful, the technology will also have to effectively compete with energy that comes from fossil⁹ fuels. Reducing the use of oil can greatly lower energy costs and cut air pollution and climate change, he added.

Goodenough has received many awards for his work, including the National Medal of Science from President Barack Obama in 2011. But he has not gotten rich from any of his discoveries.

“I’ve never made any money from the inventions we had, the lawyers have always taken all the money. And I’m too old to worry about it, nor did I ever worry about it too much. As long as I had a job, that’s all I needed to keep me with a roof over my head and eating, and an opportunity to work.”

His team has asked the U.S. Patent and Trademark¹⁰ Office for legal rights to the technology. The invention is considered intellectual property owned by the University of Texas at Austin’s Cockrell School of Engineering. The university plans to oversee¹¹ efforts to offer the technology to companies that will keep developing it.

Goodenough gives much of the credit for his success to the people around him. “I’m very happy to have nice people to work with. You don’t do anything alone, you do it with people,” he said.

Most scientists would feel very lucky to get just one major breakthrough during their lifetime. Goodenough said he feels thankful that he now has a second chance. But at age 94, he said he’s not sure how many more of these he will get.

“If the good Lord brings things together and I’m the right man at the right time, well who knows what can happen? You can’t predict."

Words in This Story

commercially – adv. related to the buying and selling of goods

solid-state – adj. of or relating to the use of the electric or magnetic properties of solid materials

density - n. amount of something in a particular space or area

sustainable – adj. able to be used without being completely used up or destroyed

convenient – adj. easy to use

grid – n. system of electrical wires and equipment to supply electricity to a large area

range – n. a distance

fossil fuels – n. a fuel (such as coal, oil, or natural gas) that is formed in the earth from dead plants or animals?

intellectual property – n. something (such as an idea, invention, or process) that comes from a person's mind

breakthrough – n. a sudden development, especially one involving knowledge or a process

1 electronics   

n.电子器件，电子学，电子技术

参考例句：

• About 45000 people worked in electronics in Scotland.苏格兰约有4.5万人在电子行业工作。
• He wants to brush up his knowledge of electronics.他想温习他的电子学知识。

2 currently   

adv.通常地，普遍地，当前

参考例句：

• Currently it is not possible to reconcile this conflicting evidence.当前还未有可能去解释这一矛盾的例证。
• Our contracts are currently under review.我们的合同正在复查。

3 density   

n.密集，密度，浓度

参考例句：

• The population density of that country is 685 per square mile.那个国家的人口密度为每平方英里685人。
• The region has a very high population density.该地区的人口密度很高。

4 wireless   

adj.无线的；n.无线电

参考例句：

• There are a lot of wireless links in a radio.收音机里有许多无线电线路。
• Wireless messages tell us that the ship was sinking.无线电报告知我们那艘船正在下沉。

5 stationary   

adj.固定的，静止不动的

参考例句：

• A stationary object is easy to be aimed at.一个静止不动的物体是容易瞄准的。
• Wait until the bus is stationary before you get off.你要等公共汽车停稳了再下车。

6 grid   

n.高压输电线路网；地图坐标方格；格栅

参考例句：

• In this application,the carrier is used to encapsulate the grid.在这种情况下，要用载体把格栅密封起来。
• Modern gauges consist of metal foil in the form of a grid.现代应变仪则由网格形式的金属片组成。

7 portable   

adj.轻便的，手提式的；n.便携的东西

参考例句：

• I have a portable typewriter.我有一个便携式打字机。
• There is a pretty portable pair of steps in one corner of the room.屋角放着一架小巧玲珑的折梯。

8 crisis   

n.危机，危急关头，决定性时刻，关键阶段

参考例句：

• He had proved that he could be relied on in a crisis.他已表明，在紧要关头他是可以信赖的。
• The topic today centers about the crisis in the Middle East.今天课题的中心是中东危机。

9 fossil   

n.化石，食古不化的人，老顽固

参考例句：

• At this distance of time it is difficult to date the fossil.时间隔得这么久了，很难确定这化石的年代。
• The man is a fossil.那人是个老顽固。

10 trademark   

n.商标；特征；vt.注册的…商标

参考例句：

• The trademark is registered on the book of the Patent Office.该商标已在专利局登记注册。
• The trademark of the pen was changed.这钢笔的商标改了。

11 oversee   

vt.监督，管理

参考例句：

• Soldiers oversee the food handouts.士兵们看管着救济食品。
• Use a surveyor or architect to oversee and inspect the different stages of the work.请一位房产检视员或建筑师来监督并检查不同阶段的工作。