Synthesis of graphene nanosheets

One of the critical challenges in using graphene nanosheets for practical applications is the lack of an effi cient way to reliably produce them in both large quantities and of high qualities. Also, it is still not possible to control the synthesis of graphene nanosheets with precisely defi ned size, shape and edge chemistry, which is crucial for most applications, especially when one or more of these parameters are important. For example, it is necessary to open up the energy band gap of graphene, so that it can be used as an active material in fi eld-effect transistors (FETs) [1]. For electrode applications, electrical conductivity is more important than other parameters. In this case, the graphene nanosheets should have high purity and perfect structure. In this respect, the aim of this chapter is to summarize the progress in the synthesis of graphene nanosheets and their related materials. However, due to the huge number of references, it is impossible to provide a complete list; therefore representative examples will be presented for each synthetic method.