The discovery of graphene is one of the most important events in the chemistry and physics of carbon materials within the last decade. In 2020 more than 50 % of the global market for graphene-based products is expected to be covered by reduced graphene oxide (RedGO) used in the supercapacitors. The most effective route to obtain low cost, good quality graphene in form of highly reduced GO is by means of the reduction of graphene oxide (GO) in its colloidal suspensions.

Drawbacks of commenly used methods include high toxicity and explosivity (hydrazine); too expensive (vitamin C or HI), too long treatment time (40 h for gamma-radiolysis), high reaction temperatures (> 90 ºC), waste management and difficult up-scaling etc. By EB irradiation of aqueous GO solutions highly reducing species like e_aq– and H• are produced; additionally strong oxidant •OH radicals can be converted into reducing radicals derived from alcohols with reduction potentials in a wide range (0 to -2.0 V).