ABSTRACT
This chapter would emphasize the modern trends of synthesis of graphene and graphene functionalization with small molecules and polymers by means of both covalent and noncovalent approaches to utilize its intrinsic optical, thermal, mechanical, and electronic properties. In the covalent functionalization with polymers the “grafting to” technique would be discussed with various roots, for example, esterication, amidation, nitrene chemistry, click chemistry, and free-radical polymerization techniques. The “grafting from” technique of functionalization would discuss various covalent functionalization roots such as atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP), singleelectron transfer living radical polymerization (SET-LRP),
and reversible addition-fragmentation chain-transfer (RAFT) techniques. The noncovalent methods would be employed for functionalization of graphene using dispersion force, electrostatic interaction, hydrogen bonding, coordination bonds, π-π stacking interactions, etc. A short account of the properties and applications of the functionalized graphene would be illustrated highlighting on its future scope.
