Argonne's Michael Thackeray invited to the White House by President Bush

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ARGONNE, Ill. (Feb. 23, 2007) — President Bush invited Michael Thackeray of Argonne National Laboratory to the White House on February 23, 2007 for a round table discussion on the role of lithium-ion batteries for transportation, including plug-in hybrid electric vehicles. 

As a battery expert, Thackeray provided an overview on advanced batteries, addressed the challenges of advanced battery research and development, and showed the path forward to achieving commercially viable lithium-ion battery-powered vehicles.

Industry representatives at the round table included A123 Systems and Phoenix Motorcars.

Robert Rosner, director of Argonne said, “We are delighted that Michael has received such an august invitation from the White House. It attests to Argonne's expertise and the excellent work that is done here.”

Thackeray joined Argonne in 1994 and is currently an Argonne Distinguished Fellow and a group leader responsible for materials research and development in the Battery Department of Argonne's Chemical Engineering Division.

His research focuses on the development of advanced lithium-battery electrode materials, through an understanding of their structural and electrochemical relationships. He works on the compositional and structural design of transition-metal oxide cathode materials and intermetallic anode materials. He is the inventor of a new family of composite layered cathode materials and a new class of intermetallic anode materials, both of which promise to safely deliver higher energy than is possible with existing lithium-ion battery systems.

Thackeray has more than 170 research publications and holds 27 patents, some of which have led to the international commercialization of battery materials.

Argonne  has been designated by the U.S. Department of Energy's Office of FreedomCAR and Vehicle Technologies as the lead national laboratory for that office's new plug-in hybrid electric vehicle program.

Argonne National Laboratory brings the world's brightest scientists and engineers together to find exciting and creative new solutions to pressing national problems in science and technology. The nation's first national laboratory, Argonne conducts leading-edge basic and applied scientific research in virtually every scientific discipline. Argonne researchers work closely with researchers from hundreds of companies, universities, and federal, state and municipal agencies to help them solve their specific problems, advance America 's scientific leadership and prepare the nation for a better future. With employees from more than 60 nations, Argonne is managed by UChicago Argonne, LLC for the U.S. Department of Energy's Office of Science.