Akira Yoshino
He shared the Nobel Prize for his development of the first commercially viable lithium-ion battery.
Most quoted
"When I started working on lithium-ion batteries, I never imagined I'd be contributing to a world where everyone carries a supercomputer in their pocket. I was just trying to make a better battery."
— from Interview
"I've always believed in the power of small improvements. A little tweak here, a little adjustment there, and suddenly you've changed the world. Or at least, how people charge their phones."
— from Interview
"My biggest fear was always that someone else would invent the perfect battery before I did. My second biggest fear was that *I* would invent it, and it would immediately catch fire."
— from Anecdote
All quotes by Akira Yoshino (381)
We are not just storing electricity; we are storing the potential for a better, cleaner world.
The competition in battery technology is fierce, and that is good for innovation and for the consumer.
Understanding the interface between materials is where the real magic happens in battery science.
The mobile phone revolution, the laptop, the EV—none would have happened as they did without this battery.
Research is a marathon, not a sprint. You must pace yourself and look far ahead.
The goal is not just to improve by 5%. The goal is to look for the factor-of-ten improvement, the game-changer.
I am a chemist, but solving real-world problems requires thinking like an engineer, an economist, and an environmentalist.
The Nobel Prize belongs as much to my colleagues and predecessors as it does to me.
Diversity in research teams leads to stronger, more creative solutions.
The electrolyte is the unsung hero of the battery. It must conduct ions but be electronically insulating—a delicate balance.
We moved from metallic lithium to carbon, trading some energy density for a huge gain in safety and cycle life. That was the critical trade-off.
The joy of research is in the struggle, in the moment when the puzzle pieces finally click into place.
Batteries will be the cornerstone of the coming digital and green transformation.
Always keep the end user in mind. The most elegant chemistry is useless if the battery is too expensive or dangerous.
Scientific progress is built on the shoulders of giants. I stood on the shoulders of Whittingham and Goodenough.
The demand for energy storage is growing exponentially. Our responsibility is to meet it sustainably.
A battery is a small-scale chemical plant. Every charge and discharge is a controlled chemical reaction.
Do not be afraid to work on a problem that seems too big or too difficult. Break it down into small, manageable pieces.
The transition to EVs is not just about cars. It's about rethinking our entire energy infrastructure.
True innovation requires both deep knowledge and the courage to challenge conventional wisdom.
Contemporaries of Akira Yoshino
Other Chemistrys born within 50 years of Akira Yoshino (1948).