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headshot of Stanley Whittingham

Stanley Whittingham

Distinguished Professor of Chemistry; Founding Director; Director

Chemistry; Battery-NY; NorthEast Center for Chemical Energy Storage (NECCES)

Background

M. Stanley Whittingham's research interest and expertise includes elucidation of the limiting mechanisms, chemical and structural, of intercalation reactions using a variety of synthetic and characterization approaches, both in-situ and ex-situ. Development of new materials and new synthetic approaches.

Whittingham was recently awarded the Nobel Prize in Chemistry for his development of lithium-ion batteries. He and his team discovered that holding lithium ions between plates of titanium sulfide created electricity. The lightweight lithium-ion batteries power laptops, tablets, cellphones and most electric cars. They have laid the foundation for a wireless, fossil fuel-free society.

The research interests of the materials chemistry group are in the preparation and chemical and physical properties of novel inorganic oxide materials. Much of their effort is targeted at finding new materials for advancing energy storage. Recently, they have discerned the critical role that single-phase reactions play in the discharge of battery electrodes. Their goal is to significantly improve the storage ability of electrochemical devices so as to make renewable solar and wind energy viable and to enable electric vehicle range and cost. Their research involves much materials characterization at the major National Laboratories.

Education

  • DPhil, Chemistry, Oxford University, England
  • MA, Oxford University, England
  • BA, Chemistry, Oxford University, England

Awards

  • Nobel Prize in Chemistry, 2019
  • Chancellor's Award for Excellence in Scholarship and Creative Activities, 2006-2007
  • Thomson Reuters Citation Laureate, 2015
  • ISSI Senior Scientist Award, 2017
  • Member National Academy of Engineering, 2018
  • Turnbull Award, Materials Research Society, 2018

More Info

Recent Selected Publications

M. Stanley Whittingham, Fredrick Omenya, and Carrie Siu, “Solid State Ionics - the key to the discovery, introduction and domination of lithium batteries for portable energy storage”, Solid State Ionics, 2018, 318: 60-68. DOI: 10.1016/j.ssi.2018.01.007

M. Stanley Whittingham, Jia Ding, and Carrie Siu, “Can Multielectron Intercalation Reactions Be the Basis of Next Generation Batteries?”, Accounts of Chemical Research, 2018, 51: 258-264. DOI: 10.1021/acs.accounts.7b00527

Jia Ding, Yuh-Chieh Lin, Jue Liu, Jatinkumar Rana, Hanlei Zhang, Hui Zhou, Iek-Heng Chu, Kamila M. Wiaderek, Fredrick Omenya, Natasha A. Chernova, Karena W. Chapman, Louis F. J. Piper, Shyue Ping Ong, and M. Stanley Whittingham: “KVOPO4: A New High Capacity Multielectron Na-Ion Battery Cathode”, Adv. Energy Mater., 2018, 201800221. DOI: 10.1002/aenm.201800221

Carrie Siu, Ieuan D. Seymour, Sylvia Britto, Hanlei Zhang, Jatinkumar Rana, Jun Feng, Fredrick O. Omenya, Hui Zhou, Natasha A. Chernova, Guangwen Zhou, Clare P. Grey, Louis F. J. Piper and M. Stanley Whittingham, “Enabling multi-electron reaction of ε-VOPO4 to reach theoretical capacity for lithium-ion batteries”, Chem. Commun., 2018, 54: 7802-7805. DOI: 10.1039/C8CC02386G

M. Stanley Whittingham, “Lithium Batteries and Cathode Materials”, Chemical Reviews, 2004, 104: 4271-4301.

Research Profile

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