Date: Tuesday, September 12, 2017
Time: 11:00 am
Talk Title: Molecular Foundry/ALS Joint Seminar: Status and Critical Challenges of Battery Materials for e-Mobility and Energy Storage
Location: Chemla Room (67-3111)
Biography:
Michael Fetcenko is Director of BASF Battery Materials and formerly President of Ovonic Battery Company. Ovonic, which invented and developed NiMH batteries, was acquired by BASF in February 2012. He joined Ovonic in 1980 and has led the R&D and commercialization efforts with over 70 patents and 100 publications in the NiMH battery field. His inventions are used in all NiMH batteries for consumer and vehicle applications. Mr. Fetcenko continues to direct all NiMH operations, and is also a member of the BASF Battery leadership team which directs BASF’s Li-Ion cathode materials and electrolyte commercial activities. He now leads all North America operations for BASF Battery Materials including Manufacturing and Sales & Marketing. In addition, he leads IP for the Battery Materials division globally and serves on the Steering Committee for Sion Power where BASF is a minority owner. Recently led successful high profile NCM cathode enforcement action at US International Trade Commission, bringing together BASF, ANL and outside counsel resulting in a complete victory and broad exclusion order against infringing product.
Mr. Fetcenko’s inventions were nominated with co-inventor Stanford R. Ovshinsky for the European Inventor Award enabling NiMH batteries for consumer and HEV applications such as the Toyota Prius. Mr. Fetcenko gave an invited lecture to ~100 patent examiners at the European Patent Office regarding his NiMH patents, taking the technology from the laboratory to widespread commercial use, licensing to over 40 companies worldwide and successful enforcement of the technology through dispute resolution. He has given similar invited lectures before the Japan and United States patent offices, and is a widely acknowledged authority in the field of batteries through numerous invited lectures and publications in journals such as Science magazine, Journal of Applied Physics and invited chapters on NiMH batteries in the Handbook of Batteries.
