# 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. - **Patent:** US 4009052 - **Original title:** Chalcogenide battery - **Owner:** Exxon Research and Engineering Co - **Granted:** 1977 - **Status:** Public domain (expired) - **Times cited:** 93 - **Field:** consumer_electronics, semiconductors, energy, materials, chemical ## What it does 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. ## 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. ## 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. ## Real-world examples 1. Early rechargeable lithium batteries 2. Foundational research for modern lithium-ion batteries ## Why it matters 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. ## 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. **Full plain-English explainer:** https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/4009052/rechargeable-lithium-battery **Original patent:** https://patents.google.com/patent/US4009052 --- _Source: PatentBrief — https://patentbrief.org. Patent facts are from public records; the plain-English explanation is PatentBrief's._ ## Related patents Semantically similar inventions in the PatentBrief corpus: - [How Lithium-Cobalt Battery Cathodes Were Invented](https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/4302518/lithium-ion-battery-cathode) — This 1981 patent details the chemistry behind the lithium-cobalt oxide cathodes that power almost every modern smartphone, laptop, and electric vehicle. - [How Lithium-Ion Battery Cathodes Are Made](https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/4357215/lithium-ion-cathode-goodenough) — A foundational 1982 method for creating the materials used in rechargeable lithium-ion batteries by removing ions at low temperatures. - [Improving Lithium Battery Life with a Built-in Lithium Source](https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/10593988/electrochemical-cell-for-lithium-based-batteries) — This patent describes a method for building rechargeable lithium-based batteries with a special extra lithium source electrode inside that helps the main battery parts work better and last longer by giving them an initial charge of lithium ions. - [How a Hybrid Layer Stops Metal Growths in Lithium Batteries](https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/10566652/lithium-metal-battery-with-hybrid-electrolyte-system) — This patent describes a special multi-layered electrolyte system for lithium metal batteries that uses a stiff, hybrid material to block dangerous metal growths, aiming for safer, higher-energy batteries. - [How to Fast-Charge Lithium Batteries Without Damaging Them](https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/10700376/methods-for-fast-charging-and-detecting-lithium-plating-in-lithium-ion-batteries) — This patent describes a three-phase method for quickly charging lithium-ion batteries while carefully controlling voltages to prevent harmful lithium metal buildup and electrolyte damage.