Laurence Croguennec

Lore & Background

Laurence Croguennec received a doctorate in 1996 from Nantes University, through research at the Institut des Matériaux de Nantes Jean Rouxel, a collaborative research institute of CNRS and Nantes University. After postdoctoral research at the University of Bonn in Germany, she became a CNRS researcher in 1997, affiliated with ICMCB. She became the head of a research group on materials for batteries there in 2004.

Her research in solid-state chemistry and crystal chemistry focuses on materials for the electrodes of metal-ion batteries including lithium-ion batteries and sodium-ion batteries. This work included the development of an early prototype rechargeable sodium-ion battery with a layered oxide of sodium and titanium as its negative electrode, and has included the first transmission electron microscope images of individual lithium atoms.

Croguennec was a 2025 recipient of the CNRS Silver Medal. In 2025 the International Society of Electrochemistry gave her their ISE Prize for Electrochemical Energy Conversion and Storage of Division 3 in Honour of Bruno Scrosati, for significant advancement of the understanding and development of lithium-, sodium-, and potassium-ion batteries, as well as all-solid-state systems with a strong focus on sustainability and future battery technologies.

Reader's Guide

Laurence Croguennec's significance lies in her contributions to the chemistry of metal-ion batteries, particularly through solid-state and crystal chemistry approaches. Her development of an early prototype rechargeable sodium-ion battery using a layered oxide of sodium and titanium as the negative electrode represents a foundational step in sodium-ion battery technology, which offers a more abundant and potentially cheaper alternative to lithium-ion systems. Additionally, her achievement of the first transmission electron microscope images of individual lithium atoms provided a direct visualization tool that advanced the fundamental understanding of battery materials at the atomic scale. Her recognition with the CNRS Silver Medal and the ISE Prize in 2025 underscores the impact of her work across lithium-, sodium-, and potassium-ion batteries, as well as all-solid-state systems, with an emphasis on sustainability. As a director of research for CNRS and associate director of ICMCB, she has also shaped the institutional landscape of battery research in France.

Did You Know?

• Croguennec developed an early prototype rechargeable sodium-ion battery with a layered oxide of sodium and titanium as its negative electrode.
• She obtained the first transmission electron microscope images of individual lithium atoms.
• She received both the CNRS Silver Medal and the ISE Prize for Electrochemical Energy Conversion and Storage in 2025.
• She became head of a research group on materials for batteries at ICMCB in 2004.

Academic Path and Rise Within French Science

Laurence Croguennec's journey into the world of materials science began in France's academic corridors. She earned her doctorate in 1996 from Nantes University, where her doctoral research was carried out at the Institut des Matériaux de Nantes Jean Rouxel, a joint research institute operated by both CNRS and the university. After completing her doctorate, she spent a formative postdoctoral period at the University of Bonn in Germany, broadening her international perspective before returning to France. In 1997 she joined the French National Centre for Scientific Research as a researcher, becoming affiliated with the Institute for Solid State Chemistry Bordeaux. Her growing expertise in battery materials eventually led to a significant leadership milestone: in 2004 she was appointed head of a dedicated research group focused on materials for batteries at ICMCB. Over nearly three decades of continuous work within the CNRS system, Croguennec has progressed from a young postdoctoral fellow to a senior director of research and associate director of her institute, cementing her position as a central figure in French electrochemistry.

Pioneering Work in Battery Electrode Materials

Croguennec's scientific career is defined by her deep engagement with solid-state chemistry and crystal chemistry, applied to the critical problem of designing better electrode materials for metal-ion batteries. Her work spans lithium-ion, sodium-ion, and potassium-ion battery systems, always with a strong focus on sustainability. Among her most notable contributions is the development of an early prototype rechargeable sodium-ion battery that employed a layered oxide of sodium and titanium as its negative electrode—a meaningful step in advancing alternative chemistries beyond lithium. Equally remarkable is the achievement, within her research, of capturing the first transmission electron microscope images of individual lithium atoms, a feat that pushed the boundaries of what could be observed at the atomic scale in battery materials. These accomplishments reflect a research philosophy that marries fundamental crystallographic understanding with practical device engineering, positioning her work at the intersection of basic solid-state science and the urgent energy-storage challenges facing the modern world.

International Recognition and the 2025 Awards

In 2025, Laurence Croguennec received two major honors that together underscored the breadth and depth of her contributions to battery science. The French National Centre for Scientific Research awarded her its Silver Medal, a significant distinction within the French public research system. In the same year, the International Society of Electrochemistry presented her with the ISE Prize for Electrochemical Energy Conversion and Storage of Division 3, awarded in Honour of Bruno Scrosati. The citation for this prize specifically acknowledged her "significant advancement of the understanding and development of lithium-, sodium-, and potassium-ion batteries, as well as all-solid-state systems with a strong focus on sustainability and future battery technologies." Receiving both a national French medal and a major international society prize in the same year highlights how her work has resonated across multiple scientific communities, from the domestic French research establishment to the global electrochemistry community. The dual recognition in 2025 signals that her research trajectory remains at the forefront of battery science and that her contributions are valued at both the national and international levels.

Institutional Leadership and the Bordeaux Laboratory

Beyond her individual research, Laurence Croguennec holds a prominent institutional role that shapes the direction of an entire laboratory. She serves as a director of research for the French National Centre for Scientific Research and as associate director of the Institute for Solid State Chemistry Bordeaux, commonly known as ICMCB. This laboratory is a shared entity, jointly operated by CNRS and the University of Bordeaux, which places her leadership at the intersection of national public research and university-based academia. In this dual-capacity role, she helps guide the strategic priorities of a facility where fundamental solid-state chemistry meets applied battery technology. Her research group, which she has led since 2004, focuses specifically on materials for battery electrodes, and her broader institutional influence extends to fostering collaboration between the public research sector and the university community. The fact that her 2025 international prize citation emphasizes sustainability and future battery technologies suggests that her leadership philosophy extends beyond pure science to encompass the broader societal dimensions of energy storage, aligning the laboratory's output with the long-term needs of the field.