Recent progress in the chemical reduction of graphene oxide by green reductants–A Mini review

Reduced graphene oxide, the 2-dimensional sheet of sp2 carbon atoms arranged in a honeycomb structure with a minimum amount of oxygen containing groups, is a hot topic of research due to its versatile properties such as high mechanical strength, electrical conductivity, chemical properties, molecular barrier abilities and optical properties. Conventional methods for the synthesis of reduced graphene oxide involve harsh conditions such as high temperature and toxic solvents and reagents. Chemical reduction of graphene oxide using green reductants is an emerging area of research in graphene technology, considering the sustainable nature of the process. This review discusses various nontoxic, natural products such as biomolecules, biomass, waste biomass, etc. that have been reported for the green reduction of graphene oxide. The work presented here offers a perspective on the future trends for the development of green rGO and rGO based materials, profitable in applications.