Given their excellent mechanical and electronic properties, graphene oxide, highly reduced graphene oxide (HRG), and graphene have sparked great excitement in the scientific community. Bulk quantities of these nanosheets are readily available through the chemical exfoliation of graphite and can be processed into a wide variety of novel macroscopic carbon-based materials with distinctly different forms, morphologies, and functions.

Now, new work by Compton and Nguyen summarizes currently known strategies for preparing such advanced materials from dispersions of stable graphene oxide, highly reduced graphene oxide, and graphene in both aqueous and organic media. The carbonaceous nanosheets can serve as either the sole component of the macroscopic materials, such as in papers and thin films, or as fillers in polymer and/or inorganic nanocomposites. The excellent properties of the resulting carbonaceous materials are highlighted with a forward outlook on their applications.