The ion distribution at the charged three layer graphene–ionic liquid (1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium dicyanamide, [BMIM]­[DCA]) interface is probed by sum frequency generation spectroscopy (SFG), cyclic voltammetry (CV), and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). The SFG results show the presence of both [BMIM]+ cations and [DCA]− anions at the charged graphene surface, where the anion signal increased with the increasing external potential and the cation signal was little influenced by the external potential. The CV and EIS results suggest that ions form an electrically stable double layer at the charged graphene surface. Molecular dynamics simulations of [BMIM]­[DCA] near the charged graphene surface suggest that the interface consists of alternating layers of cations and anions that restructure with external potential variation. The experimental data can be interpreted by a double-layer model where the anionic and cationic layers interchange position with each other at the surface depending on the applied potential.

Sum frequency generation (SFG) vibrational spectroscopy and contact angle measurements of an ionic liquid, 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium dicyanamide [BMIM][DCA], at solid-liquid interfaces are reported. Bare solid single crystal BaF2 (111) surface, a single and few layer graphene-coated BaF2 (111) surface are used as the solid substrates. The SFG results indicate that both [BMIM](+) and [DCA](-) can be detected specifically on the graphene-coated BaF2 (111) surface, without coating only [DCA](-) are observed. [DCA](-) anions are attracted to the positively charged BaF2 (111) surface and occupy the first layer at the solid-liquid interface. The graphene coating shields the charged crystal surface and allows both cations and anions to exist at the interface. Furthermore, increase in the contact angle of BaF2 surface after graphene layers deposition suggests that the graphene coating lowers the surface energy.

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