Al based materials including Al-nanodiamonds and Al-Al2O3 processed by explosive compaction are considered in this paper. Improvements of composite properties were obtained by the introduction of diamond and ceramic nanoparticles (10 wt% of each) into the mixture of aluminium nanopowder. Various schemes and conditions, including a theoretical calculation of the explosion process, were suggested and discussed. Physical and mechanical properties of composites reinforced with nanoparticles are determined and discussed with special consideration paid to process conditions. The results show an increase in the hardness, compressive strength and elastic modulus of the composites after explosive compaction with the introduction of nanoparticles into the powder mixture. Improvement of mechanical properties of composites compared to pure aluminium is determined by dispersion strengthening, small material grain size and internal compressive stresses caused by dynamic shock-wave compaction processing. (C) 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.