The chemical reduction of graphene oxide is a promising route towards the large scale production of graphene for commercial applications. The current state-of-the-art in graphene oxide reduction, consisting of more than 50 types of reducing agent, will be reviewed from a synthetic chemistry point of view. Emphasis is placed on the techniques, reaction mechanisms and the quality of the produced graphene. The reducing agents are reviewed under two major categories: (i) those which function according to well-supported mechanisms and (ii) those which function according to proposed mechanisms based on knowledge of organic chemistry. This review will serve as a valuable platform to understand the efficiency of these reducing agents for the reduction of graphene oxide.

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Extensive global research efforts have focused on the exploitation of graphene for enhanced energy storage. Novel graphene-based composite material electrodes have been developed, in many cases with reports of outstanding performance. However, the development of these composites involve extremely complex and costly procedures/methods whose scalability and eventual commercial exploitation is extremely hard [1]. Within the present activity the use of graphene nanotechnology is exploited to manufacture electrodes for supercapacitors. The goal however is to achieve electrodes with increased specific energy density (compared to the currently commercially available products) using proven and simple manufacturing procedures that can easily be scaled-up and offer competitive products. The roadmap was developed under the framework of European Space Agency highlighting the main advantages brought up from this technology. The activity is separated in three parallel routes; the development and test planning of small-scale production of graphene based materials via the tape casting technology, the establishment of a reliable and low cost industrial production process (scale-up) for these materials and the development and testing of an energy storage demonstrator that shall incorporate the novel electrodes and exhibit their favorable characteristics in energy storage applications for use in space.

Graphene-based nanomaterials are in the forefront of chemical research. This tutorial review provides an introduction to their electrochemistry, its fundamentals and applications. Selected examples of applications in energy storage and sensing are presented. The synthetic methods for preparing graphenes as well as their materials chemistry are thoroughly discussed, as they have a profound influence on the electronic and electrochemical behavior of graphene-related nanomaterials. Inherent electrochemistry and spectroelectrochemistry of graphene nanomaterials is discussed thoroughly. Important application in sensing and energy storage areas are highlighted.

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