Controllable synthesis of sandwich-like graphene-supported structures for energy storage and conversion

This paper reviews recent progress on the controllable synthesis of sandwich-like graphene-supported structures for energy storage and conversion by harnessing the two-dimensional structure of graphene. These structures could be divided into three major categories: graphene-supported nanoparticles (0D), graphene-supported nanorods, nanowires or nanoribbons (1D), and graphene-supported nanoplates (2D). In these structures, the intrinsic incompatibility between graphene and the functional materials was circumvented by modifying or functionalizing the graphene or graphene oxide. A graphene intermediate provides a fast electron-transfer pathway for energy storage and conversion. It also gives a way to design and fabricate sandwich-like graphene and even graphene-analogue-supported functional materials with well-defined structures for broad applications such as catalysts, sensors, energy storage and conversion.