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.

Ganoderma lucidum is one of the most popular medicinal mushrooms of Asian region having promising immune enhancing properties. This single species of mushroom has over 400 bioactive compounds and possess properties relating to battling tumours, viruses, bacteria, inflammation, platelet-aggregation, immune system modulation among many others. There are documented reports of G. lucidum fighting the activity against HIV/AIDS and diabetes. Owing to such a wide range of medicinal applications, the global consumption of G. lucidum is high, which has resulted in a plethora of commercially available patented products. These products have G. lucidum as an active constituent and are usually marketed as food supplements but are also available in the form of creams, hair tonics and medicinal soaps. The growing demand and the high cost of G. lucidum in the local market have enforced to think about a range of novel methods for the cultivation of this mushroom. We explored different novel strategies in this direction. In the first approach, the widely available agricultural residues of oil palm biomass (empty fruit bunch fibres, EFB) from Malaysia were used to cultivate this mushroom with cheap cost. The required conditions for the growth of this mushroom were studied by employing a pilot-scale cultivation in a mushroom farm. From the results it was scrutinized that oil palm waste fibres are the potential source of cultivating G. lucidum either alone or in combination of substrates. In the second strategy, the effect of UV-C radiation on the physical growth of G. lucidum mycelium has shown positive results. Results of 10 and 15 min of UV-C exposure treatments per 24 h showed a 30% increase in the diameter of mycelium over control in Potato Dextrose Agar medium petri-plates. Using EFB as substrates not only supports the G. lucidum cultivation but also offers a viable alternative for the management of solid waste in oil palm plantations of Malaysia. These results stipulate a better and stronger mushroom in terms of its bioactive compounds content and better growth parameters. Moreover, it also benefits the local mushroom farmers in Malaysia for the easy availability of the substrate materials and with better economy. The techniques involved can be propagated to the local Ganoderma industry for improvised cultivation for better output. A high output would also mean profitable business resulting in revolutionizing the economics of Ganoderma markets all over the world.