Applications of Ionic Liquids as Antimicrobials and Their Impact on Nanotechnology

Ionic liquids (ILs) consist of individual ions and ion pairs. Due to the peculiar physical and chemical properties, ILs have shown several practical uses in the field of synthesis and catalysis. The adaptability of ionic liquid-based materials to be modified in different sizes, morphologies, and surface charges accounts for their prospective applications as antibacterial systems. Moreover, ionic liquids are viewed as greener materials. Current studies focus on adjusting biological characteristics to create innovative ionic liquid-based antibacterial materials. The best materials for extending this are nano-based systems. ILs can enhance the properties of currently used nanomaterials and could serve as models for creating nanoparticles. They are frequently employed to boost conductivity and reactivity while maintaining greater thermal and chemical stability, expanding the range of applications. Ionic liquids can be used to investigate new strategies for improving the current nanoparticles as well as to synthesize an entirely new class of nanoparticles. Hence, to achieve synergistic effects, structures incorporating both ILs and nanoparticles (NPs) have been designed. This chapter will discuss the ionic liquids and ionic liquid-based materials with an emphasis on their antimicrobial properties.