Abstract Graphene, an allotrope of carbon in 2D structure, has revolutionised research, development and application in various disciplines since its successful isolation 16 years ago. The single layer of sp2-hybridised carbon atoms brings with it a string of unrivalled characteristics at a fraction of the price of its competitors, including platinum, gold and silver. More recently, there has been a growing trend in the application of graphene in catalysis, either as metal-free catalysts, composite catalysts or as catalyst supports. The unique and extraordinary properties of graphene have rendered it useful in increasing the reactivity and selectivity of some reactions. Owing to its large surface area, outstanding adsorptivity and high compatibility with various functional groups, graphene is able to provide a whole new level of possibilities and flexibilities to design and synthesise fit-for-purpose graphene-based catalysts for specific applications. This review is focussed on the progress, mechanisms and challenges of graphene application in four main reactions, i.e., oxygen reduction reaction, water splitting, water treatment and Fischer–Tropsch synthesis. This review also summarises the advantages and drawbacks of graphene over other commonly used catalysts. Given the inherent nature of graphene, coupled with its recent accelerated advancement in the synthesis and modification processes, it is anticipated that the application of graphene in catalysis will grow exponentially from its current stage of infancy.

    Abstract
    1 Introduction
    2 Oxygen reduction reaction (ORR)
        2.1 Graphene-based platinum catalyst
        2.2 Heteroatom doped graphene as catalyst and support
        2.3 Graphene-based non-precious metal catalyst
    3 Water splitting
        3.1 Graphene oxide photocatalyst
        3.2 Wide band gap photocatalyst
        3.3 Visible-light-absorbing photocatalyst
    4 Water treatment
        4.1 TiO2 photocatalysis
        4.2 Photo-Fenton reaction
        4.3 Sulphate-based AOP
    5 Fischer–Tropsch synthesis (FTS)
        5.1 Graphene-based iron catalyst
        5.2 Graphene-based cobalt catalyst
    6 Conclusion and prospect
    Acknowledgements 
    References

• Yuxin Yan(Faculty of Science and Engineering, University of Nottingham Ningbo China)
• Woo In Shin(Faculty of Science and Engineering, University of Nottingham Malaysia)
• Hao Chen(Faculty of Science and Engineering, University of Nottingham Ningbo China)
• Shar‑Mun Lee(Faculty of Science and Engineering, University of Nottingham Ningbo China)
• Sivakumar Manickam(Faculty of Science and Engineering, University of Nottingham Malaysia)
• Svenja Hanson(Faculty of Science and Engineering, University of Nottingham Ningbo China)
• Haitao Zhao(MITMECHE, Massachusetts Institute of Technology)
• Edward Lester(Faculty of Engineering, University of Nottingham, University Park)
• Tao Wu(Ningbo New Materials Institute, University of Nottingham, Key Laboratory for Carbonaceous Wastes Processing and Process Intensification Research of Zhejiang Province, The University of Nottingham Ningbo China)
• Cheng Heng Pang(Faculty of Science and Engineering, University of Nottingham Ningbo China, Key Laboratory for Carbonaceous Wastes Processing and Process Intensification Research of Zhejiang Province, The University of Nottingham Ningbo China)