A method for detachment of vertically aligned single-walled carbon nanotube (VA-SWNT) films from substrates simply using hot water has been developed. The VA-SWNT films were peeled off spontaneously by submersing the substrate into heated (larger than 60 degrees C) distilled water. and the detached films floated on the water surface. The detached films could readily be re-attached onto arbitrary solid surfaces, and conservation of the vertically aligned morphology after the re-attachment was confirmed based on measurements by field-emission scanning electron microscopy, resonant Raman scattering, and optical absorption spectroscopy. A possible mechanism for the process of film detachment is discussed. (c) 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.