NOVELTY - Manufacture of carbon nanomaterial comprises forming a precursor mixture comprising carbon precursor, catalytic metal, and crystallizing dispersant; polymerizing the carbon precursor to form a polymerized carbon material having crystalline phase, which is derived from the crystalline dispersant; carbonizing the cured carbon material to form an intermediate carbon material comprising carbon nanostructures, amorphous carbon, and catalytic metal; and purifying the intermediate carbon material by removing a portion(s) of the amorphous carbon and a portion(s) of the catalytic metal.    USE - The method is for manufacturing carbon nanomaterial used for a composite material (claimed). The carbon nanomaterial is used as catalyst support material for fuel cell; or as carbon nanotubes substitute.    ADVANTAGE - The crystallizing dispersant forms a crystalline phase in the polymerized precursor material, providing carbon nanospheres that are highly dispersed and have minimal agglomeration of particles. The carbon nanomaterials exhibit less agglomerated material than carbon nanomaterials manufactured using similar techniques but with organic dispersing molecules complexed with the catalytic metals. The carbon nanomaterials can be more easily blended with solvents and other materials due to the reduced agglomeration as compared to carbon nanomaterials prepared without using a crystallizing dispersant. The carbon nanostructures can have high porosity and large surface areas. The Brunauer-Emmett-Teller specific surface area of the carbon nanostructures can be 80-400, preferably 200 m2/g, which is higher than the typical 100 m2/g observed for carbon nanotubes. Even where the method results in carbon nanostructures combined with non-structured graphite, this graphitic mixture (i.e. the carbon nanomaterial) typically has a surface area greater than carbon nanotubes. The carbon nanomaterials are dispersible in a hydrophilic material, such as an aqueous solution or polar solvents. Thus, the carbon nanospheres can be more readily combined with some polymeric materials to form a composite.    DETAILED DESCRIPTION - An INDEPENDENT CLAIM is included for a carbon nanomaterial.