Asahi Kasei Honorary Fellow Dr. Akira Yoshino has been chosen for the 2019 Nobel Prize in Chemistry in recognition of his achievements in the research and development of the lithium-ion battery (LIB).

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