NOVELTY - Preparing graphene oxide, comprises: either treating a mixture of graphene oxide and impurities with a solution of a base, and separating graphene oxide from the basified impurities; or (a) oxidizing graphite to produce graphene oxide, (b) isolating a mixture of graphene oxide and impurities, (c) treating the mixture with a base, (d) separating graphene oxide from the basified impurities, and (e) converting the purified graphene oxide to graphene under reductive conditions.    USE - The process is useful for preparing graphene oxide for inclusion in a polymer or resin system (all claimed). The graphene oxide is useful in electrical applications including for electrodes, battery electrodes, fuel cell bipolar plates, super capacitors, printed circuit boards, flexible electronics substrates, and infrared absorbing additives. The graphene oxide is useful in films, self adhesive tapes, braided fiber, thermal, acoustic and burn though insulation, fire barriers, cable ties, tubes, catheters, bolts, nuts, inserts and brackets, gas separation membranes, heat exchanger components, analytical equipment components, food processing equipment, cooking equipment, pump, valve and impellor housings and liners, valve plates, bellows, lined pipes, ball and roller bearing components, bearing films, sliding bearing pads, expansion joints, coated metal components, over braided hoses, laboratory ware, conveyor belts, roll coverings, heat sealing materials, corrugated tubing, oilfield down hole instruments, pipes and hoses, pipe and hose liners, oilfield riser liners, drill bit seals, umbilical liners, chemical process equipment, chemical process instrument housings and seals, labyrinth seals, compressor components, gas flues, wire guides, yarn and thread guides, metalized films, release films, heat sealable tubing, shrinkable tubing, extruded and irradiated heat shrinkable tubing, coatings including exterior and interior coatings on pipes, tanks, ducts, bearings, wear plates, protective sleeves, industrial rollers, copier rollers, split fingers, process belts, pumps, valves, medical devices, drill bits, food processing equipment, cooking equipment, non stick cookware and bakeware, protective and decorative coatings, UV resistant coatings, and coated fabrics.    ADVANTAGE - The process provides graphene oxide with enhanced properties such as strength, modulus, crack resistance, fatigue performance, fracture toughness, wear and scratch resistance, glass transition temperature, modulus at elevated temperature, chemical resistance, resistance to UV radiation, fire resistance, gas barrier performance, gas barrier selectivity, control of coefficient of thermal expansion, thermal and electrical conductivity, control of thermal and electrical conductivity, infrared absorption, and rheological properties.    DETAILED DESCRIPTION - INDEPENDENT CLAIMS are included for:    (1) preparing chemically modified graphene oxide, comprising (a)-(d) as above per se, and converting the purified graphene oxide to graphenes by reaction with one or more chemically reactive species;    (2) graphene oxide substantially free of non-covalently bound oxygen-containing species; and    (3) a polymer or resin system incorporating graphene oxide prepared by the method.