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Intensive interest in graphene has centered on its unique 2D crystal lattice and remarkable

properties that offer unique opportunities to address ever-increasing global energy

demands. The past years have witnessed considerable advances in the fabrication of

graphene-based materials and significant breakthroughs in advanced energy applications.

In this Review, two methodologies for graphene production, namely, the bottom-up growth

from hydrocarbon precursors and the top-down exfoliation of graphite (to graphene)

and graphite oxide (to graphene oxide followed by reduction) are first summarized.

The advantages and disadvantages of these methods regarding their accessibility, scalability,

graphene quality, and inherent properties are compared. Particular attention is

concentrated on tailored nanostructures, electronic properties, and surface activities

of these intriguing materials. The preparation of graphene-based composites containing

a wide range of active constituents (e.g., transition metals, metal oxides, and conducting

polymers) by in-situ hybridization and ex-situ recombination is also discussed with an

emphasis on their microstructures and hybrid architectures. This Review is devoted largely

to current developments of graphene and its derivatives and composites in energy

conversion (i.e., polymer solar cells, dye-sensitized solar cells, perovskite solar cells,

and fuel cells) and energy storage (i.e., lithium-ion batteries and supercapacitors)

on the basis of their intrinsic attributes in improving photovoltaic and electrochemical

performance. By critically evaluating the relationship between the nanostructures and

the device performance, we intend to provide general guidelines for the design of

advanced graphene-based materials with structure-to-property tailored toward specific

requirements for targeted energy applications. Lastly, the potential issues and the

perspective for future research in graphene-based materials for energy applications are

also presented. By summarizing the current state-of-the-art as well as the exciting

achievements from laboratory research, this Review aims to demonstrate that real industrial

applications of graphene-based materials are to be expected in the near future. (1346 references).
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