Affiliations 

  • 1 Environment and Sustainability Institute (ESI) University of Exeter Penryn Campus, Penryn, Cornwall, TR10 9FE, UK
  • 2 Environment and Sustainability Institute (ESI) University of Exeter Penryn Campus, Penryn, Cornwall, TR10 9FE, UK. hu203@exeter.ac.uk
  • 3 School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering Queen's University Belfast David Keir Building, Belfast, BT9 5AG, UK. S.Pitchaimuthu@qub.ac.uk
  • 4 Solar Energy Research Institute National University of Malaysia, 43600, Bangi, Selangor, Malaysia
  • 5 College of Engineering Swansea University, Singleton Park, Swansea, SA2 8PP, UK. anitha.devadoss@swansea.ac.uk
Chem Rec, 2016 06;16(3):1591-634.
PMID: 27230414 DOI: 10.1002/tcr.201500279

Abstract

Graphene (GR) and its derivatives are promising materials on the horizon of nanotechnology and material science and have attracted a tremendous amount of research interest in recent years. The unique atom-thick 2D structure with sp(2) hybridization and large specific surface area, high thermal conductivity, superior electron mobility, and chemical stability have made GR and its derivatives extremely attractive components for composite materials for solar energy conversion, energy storage, environmental purification, and biosensor applications. This review gives a brief introduction of GR's unique structure, band structure engineering, physical and chemical properties, and recent energy-related progress of GR-based materials in the fields of energy conversion (e.g., photocatalysis, photoelectrochemical water splitting, CO2 reduction, dye-sensitized and organic solar cells, and photosensitizers in photovoltaic devices) and energy storage (batteries, fuel cells, and supercapacitors). The vast coverage of advancements in environmental applications of GR-based materials for photocatalytic degradation of organic pollutants, gas sensing, and removal of heavy-metal ions is presented. Additionally, the use of graphene composites in the biosensing field is discussed. We conclude the review with remarks on the challenges, prospects, and further development of GR-based materials in the exciting fields of energy, environment, and bioscience.

* Title and MeSH Headings from MEDLINE®/PubMed®, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine.