Graphene-based materials for electrochemical energy storage devices: Opportunities and challenges

The demand for high performance electrochemical energy storage devices has significantly increased in recent years and many efforts have been made to develop advanced electrode materials. In this respect, graphene-based materials, considered promising high performance electrode materials, have drawn great attention because they can increase the performance of the currently-used devices, such as the Lithium-ion battery and super capacitor, and make next generation devices, such as the Lithium-sulfur battery, Lithium-O-2 battery and Sodium-ion battery, more practical. This review summarizes the current uses of graphene-based materials in these devices and demonstrates their advances. It also discusses the opportunities for graphene in high performance electrode material preparation and device configuration, and more importantly, the challenges of graphene for practical use in these devices. Finally, perspectives and possible break throughs for future graphene-based materials are also briefly discussed. (C) 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.