NOVELTY - The method of preparing carbon nanotubes comprises contacting metal catalyst salts with a first solvent to form a metal salt containing solution, contacting a support component and a second solvent to form a support component suspension, contacting the metal catalyst salt-containing solution with the component suspension to form a supported metal catalyst, removing the first and second solvents, heating the supported metal catalyst, grinding the supported metal catalyst to produce an supported metal catalyst powder, and contacting the powder with a carbon source to form carbon nanotubes.    USE - The method of preparing carbon nanotubes is useful in electrodes (claimed), which is useful in fuel cells.    ADVANTAGE - The method is capable of effectively producing carbon nanotubes, which have homogeneous distribution of metallic particles within and among the carbon nanotubes.    DETAILED DESCRIPTION - The method of preparing carbon nanotubes comprises contacting metal catalyst salts with a first solvent to form a metal salt containing solution, contacting a support component and a second solvent to form a support component suspension, contacting the metal catalyst salt-containing solution with the component suspension to form a supported metal catalyst, removing the first and second solvents, heating the supported metal catalyst, grinding the supported metal catalyst to produce an supported metal catalyst powder, and contacting the powder with a carbon source to form carbon nanotubes and oxidized carbon-containing non-carbon nanotube material on the supported metal catalyst powder. The method further comprises contacting the carbon nanotubes and carbon-containing non-carbon nanotube material on the supported metal catalyst powder with an acid sufficiently strong to remove the support component, radiating the carbon nanotubes and carbon-containing non-carbon nanotube material on the supported metal catalyst powder with microwave radiation, heating the carbon nanotubes and carbon-containing non-carbon nanotube material, contacting the supported metal catalyst powder with a reducing atmosphere prior to contacting the supported metal catalyst powder with the carbon source, and varying the molar ratio of the metal catalyst salts to the support component, in which varying the molar ratio changes the particle size of the supported metal catalyst. The heating comprises heating to a temperature of 350 degrees C to oxidize the carbon-containing non-carbon nanotube material. The metal catalyst salts and the support component are in a molar ratio of 1:15-1:40. The particle size of the supported metal catalyst is 3-11 nm. INDEPENDENT CLAIMS are included for:    (1) electrodes;    (2) a method of producing a matrix; and    (3) a matrix.    DESCRIPTION OF DRAWING(S) - The drawing shows a microphotograph of a typical material produced by the above method.