A method for producing colloidal graphene dispersions comprises the steps of: (i) dispersing graphite oxide in a dispersion medium to form a colloidal graphene oxide or multi-graphene oxide dispersion, and (ii) thermally reducing the graphene oxide or multi-graphene oxide in dispersion. Depending on the method used for the preparation of the starting dispersion, a graphene or a multi-graphene dispersion is obtained that can be further processed to multi-graphene with larger inter-planar distances than graphite. Such dispersions and multi-graphenes are, for example, suitable materials in the manufacturing of rechargeable lithium ion batteries.