ITRI's STOBA Material Technology for Lithium-ion Batteries Receives 2009 R&D 100 Award

HSINCHU, TAIWAN, Nov 12 (MARKET WIRE) --
ITRI (Industrial Technology Research Institute), Taiwan's largest and one
of the world's leading high-tech research and development institutions,
will accept a "2009 R&D 100 Award in Energy Devices" today, in Orlando,
Fla., for developing STOBA (self-terminated oligomers with hyper-branched
architecture), the first technology to enhance the safety of lithium-ion
(Li-ion) batteries.

"It is a great honor to be recognized by a publication as prestigious and
influential as R&D Magazine," said Dr. Alex Peng, senior research
scientist and deputy general director at ITRI's Material and Chemical
Research Laboratories (MCL). "During the past five years, the STOBA team
worked diligently to develop this technology. They have truly earned this
achievement."

Li-ion batteries, the power source for many consumer electronic devices,
including cell phones, laptops, MP3 players, cameras, and hybrid and
electric cars, are susceptible to overheating, which can cause fires and
explosions. In the past, safety standards for Li-ion batteries could not
be raised because there was no solution available.

To meet the growing demand for high-safety lithium batteries, ITRI
successfully developed STOBA, which has fundamentally resolved the safety
issue. By integrating a nano-grade high-molecular polymer, which forms a
protective film, into the Li-ion battery, a locking effect is generated
when the battery encounters excessive heat, external impact or piercing
and interrupts the electrical and chemical action, preventing explosions.
In 2008 and 2009, STOBA passed the mandatory shorting and piercing
experiments conducted by battery manufacturers in Japan and Taiwan. These
intensive nail penetration and impact tests confirmed STOBA's
effectiveness in preventing internal shorting and overheating in Li-ion
batteries.

For the past 47 years, The R&D 100 Awards have annually identified and
recognized the 100 most significant and revolutionary technologies newly
introduced to the market. Past winning technologies include the printer
(1986) and HDTV (1998). An R&D 100 Award serves as a mark of excellence to
industry, government and academia and confirms the technology is one of
the top innovations of the year. This year's winners will be honored at a
ceremony this evening in Orlando, Fla.

About ITRI (www.itri.org.tw/eng)

The Industrial Technology Research Institute (ITRI) is a nonprofit R&D
organization engaging in applied research and technical services. Founded
in 1973, ITRI has played a vital role in transforming Taiwan's economy
from a labor-intensive industry to a high-tech industry. Numerous
well-known high-tech companies in Taiwan, such as leaders in the
semiconductor industry TSMC and UMC, can trace their origins to ITRI.

Innovative Research

ITRI is a multidisciplinary research center, with six core laboratories,
five focus centers, five linkage centers, several leading labs and various
business development units. The six fields ITRI focuses on include
Information and Communication; Electronics and Optoelectronics; Material,
Chemical and Nanotechnologies; Biomedical Technologies; Advanced
Manufacturing and Systems; and Energy and Environment. ITRI has
aggressively researched and developed countless next-generation
technologies, including WIMAX wireless broadband, solar cells, RFID, light
electric vehicles, flexible displays, 3-D ICs and telecare technologies.
In addition, ITRI's Flexible Electronics Pilot Lab and Nanotechnology Lab
provide international-level research platforms where R&D can be conducted
jointly with partners. ITRI has also seen significant growth in
intellectual property business and new ventures in recent years and is
devoted to creating a model that would make Taiwan manufacturing even more
competitive in the international arena.

Fostering Entrepreneurship and CEO Leadership

ITRI employs 5,800 personnel, including 1,112 who hold Ph.D.s and 3,206
with master's degrees, resulting in an average of five patents produced
every day. By disseminating both technology and talent, ITRI has led the
technology industry into the 21st century and has cultivated 70 CEOs in
the local high-tech industry. In addition to its headquarters in Taiwan,
ITRI has branch offices in the California Silicon Valley, Tokyo, Berlin
and Moscow.

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