The synthesis and applications of carbon-containing materials is discussed. Carbon materials discussed range from conductive polymer-coated minerals to polymer-functionalized graphene nanoribbons to graphene quantum dots. Applications range from wellbore reinforcement to conductive drilling fluids to lanthanide sensitization. In the first chapter, the preparation and use of polyaniline-coated barite as a weighting agent in conductive drilling fluids is discussed. In the second chapter, microwave-assisted curing of thermosets accelerated by functionalized graphene nanoribbon is discussed. In the third chapter, the synthesis of graphene quantum dots via nitric acid oxidation of coal is discussed. In the fourth chapter, the sensitization of lanthanides by graphene quantum dots is discussed.