A professor who has formed a start-up company to manufacture prototypes of a new electrode for rechargeable batteries has won a Bayers "Innovators' Award" for research and development.
Professor Simon Hall, a professor of electrochemistry at Massey University, worked with PhD student Michael Liu to invent a new zinc electrode for nickel-zinc rechargeable batteries, and has taken a leading role in commercialising the product.
The new batteries are intended to replace nickel-cadmium and lead-acid batteries, and to compete with lithium-based systems in larger applications.
Prof Hall has a portfolio of 15 patents (with a further 10 in the pipeline) and was awarded the 2008 Fonterra Prize for Industrial and Applied Chemistry, and a Distinguished Patent Award from the United States Energy Department in 2005.
Other finalists included Professor Harjinder Singh (Massey University), Dr Sean Simpson (LanzaTech), Ian Bywater (Natural Systems Ltd), Dr Jolon Dyer (AgResearch), Dr Robert Hill (Lincoln University), Ian Adams (Scionin), Vijay Nair (Ardex NZ), Jeremy Turner (Stella Performance Ltd), Dr Azam Ali (AgResearch), Dr Wayne Patrick (Massey University) and Paul Baker (Airway Simulation Ltd),
