Early Lithium-Ion Battery Design Using Chalcogenides
This 1977 patent describes an early rechargeable battery design using lithium as one electrode and titanium disulfide as the other, a key step towards modern lithium-ion technology.
Original patent title: “Chalcogenide battery”
This 1977 patent describes an early rechargeable battery design using lithium as one electrode and titanium disulfide as the other, a key step towards modern lithium-ion technology. Granted to Exxon Research and Engineering Co in 1977 with 26 claims and 93 forward citations, and it is now in the public domain.
Coverage
What does this patent actually cover?
This patent details a rechargeable battery system. It specifies an anode made from reactive metals like lithium, and a cathode made from a layered material called a chalcogenide, specifically titanium disulfide (TiS2) in one preferred embodiment. The key is that the titanium disulfide has a structure that allows ions (like lithium ions) from the anode to easily insert themselves into the chalcogenide's layers, and then be released back to the anode during charging. An electrolyte, which doesn't react with either electrode, facilitates this ion movement. ClaimclaimA numbered sentence at the end of a patent that legally defines what the inventor owns. The most important section.Read more → 10 provides a concrete example: lithium anode, titanium disulfide cathode, and a lithium perchlorate electrolyte in a mix of tetrahydrofuran and dimethoxyethane.
The gap
What does this patent NOT cover?
- Batteries using anodes made of metals not listed in Group Ia, Ib, IIa, IIb, IIIa, or IVa.
- Batteries using cathode materials other than layered chalcogenides of the formula MZx (where M is Ti, Zr, Hf, Nb, Ta, V and Z is S, Se, Te, with x between 1.8-2.05) or alloys thereof.
- Batteries where the electrolyte chemically reacts with either the anode or the cathode.
- Batteries that do not allow for the intercalation of anode ions into the cathode structure.
- Batteries using solid-state electrolytes if the electrolyte is not specifically claimed as solid in claimsclaimsThe numbered statements at the end of a patent that legally define what the inventor owns.Read more → 22 or 24.
These exclusions are unique to PatentBrief — derived from the actual claim language, not patent-office boilerplate.
Key facts
What made this novel
The innovation was recognizing that specific layered metal sulfides, like titanium disulfide, could reversibly 'host' lithium ions within their structure without degrading, enabling efficient charge and discharge cycles. This intercalation mechanism was key to making a practical rechargeable lithium battery.
Schematic visualization of the patent's claim structure. Hand-drawn diagrams in progress for each landmark patent.
Where you've seen this
Real-world examples
Early rechargeable lithium batteries
Foundational research for modern lithium-ion batteries
Why it matters
The bigger picture
This patent represents a foundational invention by M. Stanley Whittingham, who later won a Nobel Prize for his work on lithium-ion batteries. It describes one of the first practical rechargeable lithium battery chemistries, paving the way for the portable electronics revolution. The use of lithium metal and titanium disulfide was a critical early step in developing the high-energy-density batteries that power our phones, laptops, and electric vehicles today.
Filed
April 5, 1976
Granted
February 22, 1977
Market context
Who's building on this
Companies in this space
M. Stanley Whittingham's pioneering work laid the groundwork for virtually all modern lithium-ion battery development. Companies like Tesla, LG Energy Solution, Samsung SDI, and countless others build upon the fundamental principles of intercalation chemistry first demonstrated in patents like this one, though they use different cathode materials for improved safety and performance.
Market impact
This patent was a critical early step in the development of rechargeable batteries. While not the direct chemistry used in today's dominant lithium-ion batteries (which often use lithium cobalt oxide or similar cathodes), it established the core concept of reversible ion intercalation in layered materials, a principle that underpins the entire industry. It spurred significant research and development in battery materials and electrochemistry.
Claim 1 — Plain English
What this patent covers
This patent details a rechargeable battery system. It specifies an anode made from reactive metals like lithium, and a cathode made from a layered material called a chalcogenide, specifically titanium disulfide (TiS2) in one preferred embodiment. The key is that the titanium disulfide has a structure that allows ions (like lithium ions) from the anode to easily insert themselves into the chalcogenide's layers, and then be released back to the anode during charging. An electrolyte, which doesn't react with either electrode, facilitates this ion movement. Claim 10 provides a concrete example: lithium anode, titanium disulfide cathode, and a lithium perchlorate electrolyte in a mix of tetrahydrofuran and dimethoxyethane.
The clever bit
The innovation was recognizing that specific layered metal sulfides, like titanium disulfide, could reversibly 'host' lithium ions within their structure without degrading, enabling efficient charge and discharge cycles. This intercalation mechanism was key to making a practical rechargeable lithium battery.
What it does not cover
- Batteries using anodes made of metals not listed in Group Ia, Ib, IIa, IIb, IIIa, or IVa.
- Batteries using cathode materials other than layered chalcogenides of the formula MZx (where M is Ti, Zr, Hf, Nb, Ta, V and Z is S, Se, Te, with x between 1.8-2.05) or alloys thereof.
- Batteries where the electrolyte chemically reacts with either the anode or the cathode.
- Batteries that do not allow for the intercalation of anode ions into the cathode structure.
- Batteries using solid-state electrolytes if the electrolyte is not specifically claimed as solid in claims 22 or 24.
Patent timeline
Application submitted to the patent office
Application published, typically 18 months after filing
Patent officially issued
Patent enters public domain
This patent is in the public domain
See the Freedom to Build guide — what is free to use, what is not, and how to cite this patent.
PatentBrief Score
Impact Score
Moderate
Citation count
39/40
Highly cited
Claim breadth
17/20
Very broad protection
Recency
0/20
Older than 20 years
Assignee scale
0/20
Independent or smaller assigneeassigneeThe entity that owns the patent — usually the inventor's employer or a company.Read more →
PatentBrief Impact Score — based on citation count, claim breadth, recency, and assignee scale. Not a legal assessment.
Heuristic Value Estimate
What this patent might be worth
$41K – $131K
Midpoint $82K · expired or expiring · industry ×1.4
Heuristic only — blends forward/backward citation counts, claim scope, time remaining, litigation history, and CPC-derived industry baseline. Real valuations need a professional appraisal.
Claim text not yet imported for this patent
The original legal language
Original claims
26 claims as filed with the patent office.
Concepts involved
Citations
Patent lineage
Cite this patent
Whittingham, M. S. (1977). Early Lithium-Ion Battery Design Using Chalcogenides (U.S. Patent No. 4,009,052). U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/4009052/rechargeable-lithium-battery
Auto-generated from the patent record. Double-check author order and the issue date against the official USPTO document before submitting.
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Common Questions
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Early Lithium-Ion Battery Design Using Chalcogenides cover?
This 1977 patent describes an early rechargeable battery design using lithium as one electrode and titanium disulfide as the other, a key step towards modern lithium-ion technology.
Who owns patent US 4009052?
Exxon Research and Engineering Co owns this patent, granted in 1977.
When does this patent expire?
This patent has expired and is now in the public domain — anyone can use the invention freely.
What is patent US 4009052 cited by?
This patent has been cited by 93 later patents that build on its ideas.
What problem does this patent solve?
This patent represents a foundational invention by M. Stanley Whittingham, who later won a Nobel Prize for his work on lithium-ion batteries. It describes one of the first practical rechargeable lithium battery chemistries, paving the way for the portable electronics revolution. The use of lithium metal and titanium disulfide was a critical early step in developing the high-energy-density batteries that power our phones, laptops, and electric vehicles today.
What does this patent NOT cover?
Batteries using anodes made of metals not listed in Group Ia, Ib, IIa, IIb, IIIa, or IVa.
Patent monitoring