Recent progress and future perspectives on graphene oxide nanoribbons: Dispersion, structure assembly, and applications

Graphene oxide nanoribbons (GONR) are prepared by the top-down oxidative unzipping of carbon nanotubes. The unique one-dimensional morphology and the abundant functional groups of GONR distinguish it from other graphene-based carbon materials with increased solvent dispersibility and self-assembly behavior. These features have been exploited throughout the literature for various applications, including energy storage materials, sensors, catalysts, fillers for composites, and separation membranes. However, despite its drastically different chemical and physical properties, GONRs are often only discussed in the sub-context of graphene nanoribbons. This Perspective highlights GONRs specifically, focusing on their chemical properties and structuring behaviors, which can be manipulated to yield appealing structures for target applications. These characteristics constitute significant importance in scalable applications. The final section of this Perspective catalogs a comprehensive summary of recent GONR developments and additional perspectives for future research.