Microemulsions comprising methyl methacrylate (MMA) and a polymerizable ionic liquid (IL)-based surfactant, 1-(2-acryloyloxyundecyl)-3-methylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate (IL-BF4) water and cosurfactant,1-propanol, have been polymerized via thermal initiation in microemulsions. The resulting polymer hydrogels can be transformed to porous polymers by anion exchange of BF4¯ by PF6¯ in the IL moiety. The pore size of the polymer varies with crosslinker content in the precursor microemulsions. The converted porous polymers can be transformed to solvogels by imbibing solvents such as dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO), dimethyl formamide (DMF) and alcohols. These polymer solvogels can be reversibly transformed to porous polymers again by treatment with water. The basis for this reversible poration process appears due to spinodal decomposition of the solvogel composition into the open cell nanoporous material, induced by addition of a poor solvent (e.g., water) for the ionic liquid surfactant blocks of the copolymer.