There are currently at least five methods for producing carbon nanotubes: (1) chemical vapor deposition (CVD), (2) arc discharge, (3) laser ablation, (4) HIPCO^®, and (5) surface mediated growth of vertically-aligned tubes.

1. HIPCO^® – (High Pressure Carbon Monoxide) processing was discovered by Dr. Smalley’s team in 1998 — it involves rapidly mixing a gaseous catalyst precursor (such as iron carbonyl) with a flow of carbon monoxide gas in a chamber at high pressure and high temperature. The catalyst precursor decomposes, and nanometer-sized metal particles form from the decomposition products. These tiny metal particles serve as a catalyst. On the catalyst surface, carbon monoxide molecules react to form carbon dioxide and carbon atoms, which bond together to form carbon nanotubes. This process selectively produces 100% single walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs). These carbon nanotubes can be used in fuel cell electrodes, electronics, and biomedical applications.
2. CVD: Chemical vapor deposition (CVD) processes, which involves mixing a carbon containing gas with a metal-catalyst-coated substrate at a high temperature. The carbon atoms separate from the hydrocarbon gas and attach to the catalyst particles and other carbon atoms to form high-quality nanotubes. This process can be used to produce a wide variety of CNT products through modified production conditions and post-processing techniques.

Once carbon nanotubes have been produced, they can be further modified in numerous ways depending on the desired material properties. Such modification may include derivatization, wherein other atoms or molecules are bonded to the nanotube. These atoms or molecules may be covalently bonded to the ends or sidewalls of the nanotube or may be non-covalently bonded, e.g., by Van der Waals or polarization forces. In many instances nanotube derivatization results in “doping” of a nanotube that changes its electronic properties. In addition, derivatization can change other CNT properties that, for instance, make the CNTs more easily dispersed and/or soluble in liquids.