Environmentally friendly approaches toward the mass production of processable graphene from graphite oxide

Graphene has attracted a great deal of scientific interest in latter years owing to its unique properties, with many prospective applications being actively investigated at present. However, the actual implementation of graphene in technological uses will depend critically on the development of appropriate methodologies for its mass production. In this regard, one of the most promising approaches is based on the exfoliation and reduction of graphite oxide. Graphenes derived from graphite oxide can be prepared at low cost and high throughput, can be further processed in a number of solvents, and are chemically versatile, among other attractive features. In an environment-conscious world, the availability of green approaches toward graphene production would also constitute an added advantage. During the last year, different environmentally friendly methods for the production of graphene from graphite oxide have emerged, which we highlight here. These are based on solvothermal and electrochemical processes, as well as on the use of green reductants. Several open questions and possible future directions for this research topic are also discussed.