TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - INORGANIC CHEMISTRY - Preferred Components: The carbon material is crystalline carbon. The carbon material comprises one of carbon black, a carbon nanofilament, a 3D carbon sieve, activated carbon, graphite and a carbide-derived carbon material. The carbon nanofilament is one of a carbon nanotube, a carbon nanohorn and a carbon nanowire. Preferred Method: In the method, the carbon material is contacted with a solution of the carboxylic acid by adding a solution of the carboxylic acid to the carbon material. The carbon material is contacted with the carboxylic acid by forming a suspension and/or a solution of the carboxylic acid and the carbon material in a solvent. The method further involves mixing the mixture of the carbon material and the carboxylic acid. The method of contacting the carbon material with the solution of a carboxylic acid involves applying ultrasound. The method further involves drying the mixture of the carbon material and the carboxylic acid by heating the mixture at a temperature below the thermal decomposition temperature of the carboxylic acid. The dried mixture is heated for a suitable period of time at a temperature below the thermal decomposition temperature of the carbon material. The method forms a paste by drying. The method heats the mixture of carbon material and carboxylic acid for a suitable period of time (preferably less than or equal to 3, especially less than or equal to 2 hours or for 30-60 minutes) at a temperature below the thermal decomposition temperature of the carbon material is carried out at a temperature above the thermal decomposition temperature of the carboxylic acid in a furnace. The compound capable of forming a covalent bond and/or an ionic bond with the functional groups on the functionalized carbon material is provided in a solvent and is a metal compound or a metalloid compound. The method forms particles on a carbon material, where the particles are at least one of a metal, a metal oxide, a metalloid and a metalloid oxide. The compound capable of forming a covalent bond and/or an ionic bond with the functional groups on the functionalized carbon material is comprised in a particle. The method further involves comminuting the functionalized carbon material. The functionalized carbon material is comminuted before contacting the same with a metal compound capable of forming a covalent bond and/or an ionic bond with the functional groups on the functionalized carbon material.    TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - ORGANIC CHEMISTRY - Preferred Components: The carboxylic acid is one of a hydroxy carboxylic acid, dicarboxylic acid and/or an amino acid. The carboxylic acid is selected from oxalic acid, ascorbic acid, citric acid, glycolic acid, tartaric acid, malic acid, maleic acid, adipic acid, lactic acid and/or salicylic acid. The amino acid is selected from glutamine, lysine, histidine, serine, threonine, tyrosine, cystine, arginine, proline, glutamic acid, aspartic acid, asparagine and glutamine. The solution of the carboxylic acid is an aqueous solution. EXAMPLE - A citric acid treatment of multi-walled carbon nanotubes was prepared as follows using functionalizing carbon nanotubes as a model carbon material. Platinum (Pt) nanoparticles were formed on the carbon nanotubes, thereby obtaining a catalyst for a fuel cell. The average length of carbon nanotubes was ~2 mm. The carbon nanotubes were suspended in deionized water (DI water). All dielectrophoresis experiments were done under standard room temperature conditions. Multi-walled carbon nanotubes (100 mg), citric acid monohydrate (100 mg) and distilled water (10 ml) were mixed with the help of ultrasonic vibration for 15 minutes, and then let dried to form a paste. After heated at 300degrees C for 30 minutes, the citric acid treated multi-walled carbon nanotubes were ready for Pt deposition.