Synthesis and novel applications of graphene fibers

The past decade has witnessed dynamic and fruitful developments of carbon materials. Particularly, graphene fibers emerge as a new type of carbon material directly composed of graphene sheets with unique structure, excellent electrical conductivity, strength, and lightweight properties, thus attracting increasing interest of scientists in multi-disciplines ranging from chemistry, materials science, biology to medical science. In this Perspective, we summarize latest progresses in the synthesis of graphene fibers and discuss their pros and cons. Then, various strategies for improving the mechanical, electrical, and thermal properties of graphene fibers are introduced in detail. Subsequently, recent applications of graphene fibers are highlighted, such as self-powered devices, photovoltaics, neural recording microelectrodes, etc., aiming to present the state of the art in this fast-growing field. Finally, the current limitation and future prospect of large-scale application of graphene fibers are also proposed. With the continuous development of materials and techniques, graphene fibers are projected to take more important roles in diverse fields in the future.