Armand, Michel

Prof. Michel Armand is a distinguished French chemist recognized globally as a foundational figure and pioneer in the field of electrochemical energy storage, often referred to as the “father” of solid-state batteries. His revolutionary conceptual and practical innovations laid the groundwork for modern rechargeable battery technology. In the 1970s, he introduced the concept of the “rocking-chair” battery—the core principle behind today’s commercial lithium-ion cells—and simultaneously pioneered the use of solid polymer electrolytes, a critical advancement toward safer, high-energy-density solid-state batteries.

Throughout his prolific career, Armand held significant research and professorship roles with institutions like the French National Centre for Scientific Research (CNRS) and the University of Montreal. A pivotal achievement was developing the carbon-coating method that made lithium iron phosphate (LFP) a viable, safe cathode material, a technology now ubiquitous in the automotive industry. An esteemed collaborator with Nobel laureates John Goodenough and Stanley Whittingham, Armand continues to shape the future of energy storage as an honorary scientific director at the Spanish research center CIC energiGUNE, having received numerous international accolades for his enduring influence on battery science.