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Nature 447, 917-918 (21 June 2007) | doi:10.1038/447917a; Published online 20 June 2007

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Materials science: Reflections on ionic liquids

Robin D. Rogers1

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Ionic liquids are generally regarded as solvents, but these modular, tunable compounds have far greater technological potential. With a coat of silver, they become ideal materials for the liquid mirror of a space telescope.

Ionic liquids seem to defy common sense. Most ionic compounds are crystalline solids with high melting points, but these fascinating salts melt at temperatures below 100 °C; indeed, many are liquids at room temperature.

  1. Robin D. Rogers is in the Department of Chemistry and Center for Green Manufacturing, The University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, Alabama 35487, USA.
    Email: rdrogers@bama.ua.edu

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