Recent Advances in the Green Reduction of Graphene Oxide and its Potential Applications

Abstract: Graphene has drawn significant attention due to its commercial usage in various fields. Several methods have been developed for the synthesis of graphene sheets but most of them involve only lab-scale production and are expensive too. So, the production of high-grade graphene on a large scale by cost-efficient and eco-friendly methods is still a challenge for the scientific community. The reduction of graphene oxide to produce high-quality graphene is considered the most eco-efficient and auspicious approach. Various pathways for the reduction of graphene oxide involving chemical reduction, thermal annealing, microwave and photoreduction, solvothermal, electrochemical, and green reduction have been explored. Several of these methods use harmful and toxic reagents that cause adverse effects on human health and the environment. The reduction of graphene oxide by plant extracts is simple, easily accessible, environment-friendly, sustainable, renewable, and economical. This review highlights different approaches for the synthesis of reduced graphene oxide with the main focus on green reduction using plant extracts. Moreover, several applications of reduced graphene oxide in various fields have also been elaborated. The main aim of this review is to provide deep insights for current and future researchers related to the greener methods for the synthesis of reduced graphene oxide along with its potential applications.