The outstanding properties of ionic liquids are combined with magnetorheological technology to obtain new and “smart” fluids (see figure and cover) that can be applied in diverse areas of research and technology, such as medical therapies (drug delivery and cancer therapeutic methods), engineering devices (dampers and breaks), and accurate transportation and delivery of substances in multiphase biological and chemical systems.

Micellization and micellar gel formation of poly(styrene)-block-poly(methyl methacrylate) [PS-b-PMMA] are demonstrated in a water-ethanol solvent mixture; full hydration of the PMMA causes a large radius of gyration resulting in micellar gel formation at only 1 wt% polymer concentration.

The living cationic ring opening polymerization of 2-ethyl-2-oxazoline performed in an ionic liquid under microwave irradiation showed an enhanced polymerization rate in comparison to the reaction in common organic solvents; the ionic liquid was efficiently recovered and reused in new reaction cycles, completely avoiding the use of organic volatile compounds.