Creator of the lithium-ion batteries, John B. Goodenough, wants to improve battery technology at 94 years old. He is currently working with a team of researchers from Cockrell School to create a battery that will work longer, will charge faster and will be safer to use. Goodenough is a University of Texas at Austin professor and has no plans on retiring unless he finds a better alternative to modern-day batteries.

John B. Goodenough works closely with Maria Helena Braga, a senior research fellow from Cockrell School in developing a solid state battery that is safer than what electric devices use today, Engadget reported. The team said that the new battery has glass electrolytes instead of lithium-ions in liquid-like form. Solid glass electrolytes has a lot of advantages; it wont form dendrites which usually cause batteries to short circuit and explode, it can charge in just a few minutes than hours and can be used more times than regular lithium batteries.

Goodenough's team also said that glass electrolytes also allow batteries to work even in sub-zero temperatures and are low cost. The solid-state battery is still in its early stages of development, Fortune reported, with a research paper about it published in "Energy & Environmental Science."

But despite the excitement of discovering a better and safer portable power source, many remain skeptical since most ideas were either impractical or unfit to use. Goodenough begged to disagree since he proved in 1980 that ideas could become a reality by inventing the cobalt-oxide cathode, an important part of any lithium-ion cell.

Goodenough and his research team are now looking for battery companies who will be able to take their invention and test it on energy storage devices like power banks and in electric vehicles. The team said that with their new battery, electric vehicles like cars, motorcycles and trucks can improve their mileage in between charges and charging their batteries to full can be done in just minutes instead of hours.+

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