An overview of graphene in energy production and storage applications

Energy production and storage are both critical research domains where increasing demands for the improved performance of energy devices and the requirement for greener energy resources constitute immense research interest. Graphene has incurred intense interest since its freestanding form was isolated in 2004, and with the vast array of unique and highly desirable electrochemical properties it offers, comes the most promising prospects when implementation within areas of energy research is sought. We present a review of the current literature concerning the electrochemical application of graphene in energy storage/generation devices, starting with its use as a super-capacitor through to applications in batteries and fuel cells, depicting graphene's utilisation in this technologically important field. (C) 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.