“Ever since Italian physicist Alessandro Volta invented the first battery out of a stack of copper and zinc disks separated by moistened cardboard, scientists have been searching for better battery materials. Lithium-ion batteries, which are lighter, longer-lasting, and functional under a wider range of temperatures than standard batteries, power everything from cell phones to aircraft carriers to electric cars. Their ubiquitous use makes their stability, efficiency, and safety important for businesses and consumers alike. One of the main challenges researchers face in dealing with battery components, however, is finding novel, nonflammable materials for the electrolyte. The electrolyte is the crucial battery component that shuttles lithium ions during charging and discharging, transferring the energy that enables a battery’s use. Now, scientists are looking for electrolytes that are not only stable but also conductive to lithium ions, a property that lithium-ion batteries require to maintain efficiency during charge cycles.”