Carbon nanotubes and graphene have been fully dispersed in water using novel stimuli-responsive stabilizers derived from ionic liquid-based reactive surfactants. These stabilizers include nanolatexes and a new family of triblock copolymers. Our waterborne dispersions of fully exfoliated carbon nanotubes yield templated coatings exhibiting the highest thermal conductivity of any materials made outside of a vacuum chamber. Our graphene dispersions compose a new class of rheo-optical fluids. With these graphene dispersions we demonstrate new stimuli responsively controlled coating methods.