If you own any handheld electronic gadget, chances are you own a lithium–ion battery. The $10 billion industry wouldn't be possible without the innovation of a possible candidate for the Nobel prize in chemistry, John Goodenough. He was the first to use lithium cobalt oxide as the cathode material in a lithium battery, which meant that stable materials could be used as the corresponding anode. Even today, most lithium-ion batteries use lithium cobalt oxide. Goodenough has continued working on materials that could be used as cathodes in lithium ion batteries.

Experts available:

• Bruce Dunn, a professional colleague of Goodenough’s on a DOE-funded panel. Dunn’s research includes work on the electrochemistry of new materials that could be used to store electricity.o Title: Professor, Materials Science & Engineering, University of California, Los Angeleso Email: [email protected] Phone: 310-825-1519 o Webpage: http://www.seas.ucla.edu/ms/faculty1/dunn.htmlo Note: Dunn is available during Pacific Daylight Time business hours.• Gary Rubloff heads a DOE-funded research project that examines ways nanostructures can be used to store electrical energy. Many of Rubloff’s efforts have focused on improving lithium–ion batteries with nanostructures. o Title: Minta Martin Professor, Materials Science & Engineering, University of Maryland, College Park. Director, Maryland NanoCenter and NEES EFRC.o Email: [email protected] Phone: 301-405-3011o Webpage: http://www.rubloffgroup.umd.edu/• Sang Bok Lee is deputy director of a DOE-funded research project that examines ways nanostructures can be used to store electrical energy.o Title: Professor, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Maryland, College Park. Deputy Director, NEES EFRC.o Email: [email protected] Phone: 301-405-7906o Webpage: http://www.chem.umd.edu/sang-bok-lee/