The wide range of interesting properties that metal oxides exhibit has always driven creative research in this area. Here we analyse the interaction between an ionic liquid, 1-Ethy1-3-methylimidazolium acetate (emim)OAc, and biopolymers such as cellulose, chitosan, starch and dextran and demonstrate how they are intimately involved in the control of shape, size and crystallinity of strontium niobate. (C) 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.