An electrolyte, comprising: an ionic liquid comprising a hydrophilic anion, and a multivalent cation suitable for use in an electrochemical cell, which is selected from the group consisting of 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium perchlorate 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium hydroxide 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium trifluoromethanesulfonate 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium methanesulfonate 1-butyl-2,3-dimethylimidazolium methanesulfonate 1-butyl-2,3-dimethylimidazolium trifluoromethanesulfonate 1-butyl-1-methylpyrrolidinium methanesulfonate 1-butyl-1-mothylpyridinium methanesulfonate 1-butyl-1-methylpyridinium trifluoromethanesulfonate 1-ethyl-1-methylpyrrolidinium methanesulfonate 1-ethyl-1-methylpyrrolidinium trifluoromethanesulfonate 1-methyl-1-propylpyrrolidinium methanesulfonate 1-ethyl-1-methylpyrrolidinium trifluoromethanesulfonate 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium (EMLM) methanesulfonate 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium (EMIM) hydroxide 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium (EMIM) trifluoromethanesulfonate 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium (BMIM) formate 1-butyl-2,3-dimethylimidazolium formate 1-butyl-1-methylpyrrolidinium formate 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium acetate 1-butyl-1-methylpyrrolidinium acetate 1-butyl-1-methylpyrrolidinium trifluoromethanesulfonate 1-butyl-1-methylpyrrolidinium tetrachloroborate 1-butyl-1-methylpyridinium tetrachloroborate 1-ethyl-1-methylpyrrolidinium tetrachloroborate 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium tetrachloroborate 1-ethyl-1-methylpyrrolidinium trifluoromethanesulfonate 1-methyl-1-propylpyrrolidinium tetrachloroborate 1-methyl-1-propylpyrrolidinium trifluoromethanesulfonate 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium propionate 1-butyl-1-methylpyrrolidinium propionate; and (a) a polymer binder having hydrogen bonding groups that mechanically supports the electrolyte; or (b) a non-hydrogen bonding polymer binder that mechanically supports the electrolyte and an oxide filler with complementary hydrogen bonding groups. 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium perchlorate 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium hydroxide 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium trifluoromethanesulfonate 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium methanesulfonate 1-butyl-2,3-dimethylimidazolium methanesulfonate 1-butyl-2,3-dimethylimidazolium trifluoromethanesulfonate 1-butyl-1-methylpyrrolidinium methanesulfonate 1-butyl-1-mothylpyridinium methanesulfonate 1-butyl-1-methylpyridinium trifluoromethanesulfonate 1-ethyl-1-methylpyrrolidinium methanesulfonate 1-ethyl-1-methylpyrrolidinium trifluoromethanesulfonate 1-methyl-1-propylpyrrolidinium methanesulfonate 1-ethyl-1-methylpyrrolidinium trifluoromethanesulfonate 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium (EMLM) methanesulfonate 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium (EMIM) hydroxide 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium (EMIM) trifluoromethanesulfonate 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium (BMIM) formate 1-butyl-2,3-dimethylimidazolium formate 1-butyl-1-methylpyrrolidinium formate 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium acetate 1-butyl-1-methylpyrrolidinium acetate 1-butyl-1-methylpyrrolidinium trifluoromethanesulfonate 1-butyl-1-methylpyrrolidinium tetrachloroborate 1-butyl-1-methylpyridinium tetrachloroborate 1-ethyl-1-methylpyrrolidinium tetrachloroborate 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium tetrachloroborate 1-ethyl-1-methylpyrrolidinium trifluoromethanesulfonate 1-methyl-1-propylpyrrolidinium tetrachloroborate 1-methyl-1-propylpyrrolidinium trifluoromethanesulfonate 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium propionate 1-butyl-1-methylpyrrolidinium propionate; (a) a polymer binder having hydrogen bonding groups that mechanically supports the electrolyte; or (b) a non-hydrogen bonding polymer binder that mechanically supports the electrolyte and an oxide filler with complementary hydrogen bonding groups.