CHELATOR-IN-IONIC LIQUID ELECTROLYTES

The invention provides electrolyte compositions including a metal cation, an ionic liquid, and a chelator that coordinates the metal cation. The electrolyte compositions are advantageous as they exhibit increased ion transference, and thus increased total conductivity, relative to a pure ionic liquid electrolyte that coordinates the metal cation. The invention provides a general strategy to control the cation-anion dynamics that govern ionic liquid performance. Electrolytes of the invention may be useful for any suitable purpose, e.g., in primary and secondary batteries, supercapacitors, and solar cells.