TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - ORGANIC CHEMISTRY - Preferred Components: The carbon nanotube is single walled nanotube or multiwalled nanotube. The oxidized or reduced carbon nanotube is in the form of nanotube ropes or dispersed nanotubes. The solution is comprised of solvents selected from water and/or organic solvents. The organic solvent is dichlorobenzene, methanol, ethanol or isopropanol. The pH of the aqueous solution is less than 7. The oxidized or reduced carbon tube is associated with a dispersant or mixture of dispersants. The dispersant is negatively charged, positively charged or uncharged. The oxidizing agent is 2,3-dichloro-5,6-dicyano-p-benzoquinone, benzoyl peroxide, chloranil, chlorine, dichlorodicyanobenzoquinone, dichlorodicyano-p-benzoquinone, diphenylbenzoquinone, divalent chromium, formate, glucose, hexachloroiridate, hydrogen peroxide, hydroperoxide, hyperchlorous, hypophosphite, iodine, naphthoquinone, N-bromosuccinimide, N-chlorosuccinamide, N-iodosuccineamide, nitrate, nitric acid, nitrous acid, o-benzoquinone, o-chloronil, o-iodobenzoate, oxygen, ozone, p-benzoquinone, p-chloronil, peracetic acid, perborate, perboric acid, perchlorate, perchloric acid, permanganate, permanganic acid, peroxide, peroxyacids, perphosphoric acid, persulfate, persulfuric acid, pertitanate, pervanadate, p-toluquinone, ribose, saccharose, perforate, stannous, stilbenequinone, sulfite, sulfur, sulfuric acid, tetrathionate, trivalent titanium, and trivalent vanadium. The reducing agent is 9,10-diphenylanthracene radical anion, acid chlorides, acridine anion, alkali metal sulfates, aluminum sulfates, anthraquinol, benzophenone anion, bisulfite, boranes, borates, carbon monoxide, chromium (II) salts, diimine, dithionite, formic acid, group I and II metals, hydrazine, hydrides, hydrogen, hydrosulfite, iron (II) salts, lithium aluminum hydride, low-valance titanium ions, naphthalene radical-anion, nitrous acid, N-n-butylphthalimide anion, niobium (III) salts, perylene radical anion, phenanthridine, radical-anion, phosphates, phosphines, phthalonitrile anion, polyphosphates, reducing sugars, sodium borohydride, sulfides, thiosulfate, thiourea, transition metals, trans-stibene anion, or vanadium (II) salts. The detergent is dextrin, polyethylene oxide, alkyl-ether sulfonate or triton series compounds.    TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - POLYMERS - The dispersant is a polymer (preferably nucleic acid or peptide nucleic acid, especially polyvinyl pyrrolidone, polysaccharides, polypeptides, gum arabic or polystyrene sulfonate) or a detergent. EXAMPLE - Potassium permanganate (10 muM) was added to the solution of carbon nanotube (100 mul) to form an oxidized carbon nanotubes.