As an environmentally friendly material,graphene has attracted much attention in the field of lubricants due to its ultrathin lamellar structure，excellent mechanical properties，outstanding hightemperature resistance and selflubricating properties.The research progress of graphene,functionalized graphene (covalent and noncovalent modification of graphene by various organic molecules) and composite materials of graphene and other nanoparticles(fluorine element,elemental metal,metal compound,etc.) used as lubricant additives was reviewed.The antiwear and friction reducing mechanisms of graphene such as physical friction adsorption film，tribochemical film，selfrepairing effect and ball effect of composite material were summarized.The existing problems in the research of graphene additives were pointed out,for example,the optimal amount of graphene in lubricating oil and the antiwear and friction reducing performance of different preparation methods or different functionalized graphene are quite different.The research on the antiwear and friction reducing performance and mechanism of graphene additives with different structures in different working conditions and different lubrication regions is not systematic and perfect.The preparation of graphene composites,based on molecular dynamics theory design research is less.The development direction of graphene additive research was proposed,such as establishing the big data model of the relationship between the structure of graphene lubricant additive and the antiwear and friction reducing performance,using the molecular dynamics model to carry out the theoretical design and controllable synthesis of the molecular structure of new highperformance graphene lubricant additive.