The crucial component for making this material is an exotic solvent called 1-butyl, 3-methylimidazolium chloride.

ECONOMIST: Storing electricity

The banning of antismog additive MTBE (methyl tertiary-butyl ether) presented a new challenge.

FORBES: On The Cover/Top Stories

To Texas litigator Scott Summy, methyl tertiary butyl ether, the gasoline additive that reduces air pollution, is the devil--and his savior.

FORBES: Demonizing for Dollars

However, by making something out of ions that are bulky and asymmetrical (they have names such as 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium and hexafluorophosphate, which are as complicated as the ions they represent), the attractive electrical forces can be kept so far apart that the resulting substance is a liquid at room temperature.

ECONOMIST: Ionic solvent