John Goodenough, an engineer and professor at the University
of Texas who Quartz writes, "has dominated the world of
advanced batteries" for nearly 40 years. He is known around
the world for his pioneering work that led to the invention of
the rechargeable lithium-ion battery.
He and his team
announced that they have created a low-cost, all-solid-state
battery that can store twice the energy of modern lithium-ion
batteries, can be fully charged in minutes, and is
noncombustible. The new battery uses glass, which the
researchers claim enables the anode to be made from pure
lithium or sodium metal. This has a huge amount of potential
energy. In the case of sodium, it is incredibly cheap. Either
can charge more quickly. The team believes it will be
commercially available within a few years.