Graphene chemically synthesized from benzene at liquid-liquid interfaces

Herein, we report the total chemical synthesis of graphene assembled at a liquid-liquid interface through a chemical reaction starting from benzene as a monomer. The reaction occurs at the benzene/water liquid interface, taking advantage of the insoluble material (the growing graphene structures) assembling as a film, which allows a heterogeneous reaction with the precipitated material and a molecular construction of large graphene sheets (ca. 800 nm2 or larger). A two-step polymerization mechanism has been proposed, involving the initial polymerization of benzene to poly-paraphenylene (PPP) and/or its oligomers, followed by subsequent Scholl reaction between disconnected aryl rings to graphene.