A method combining hydrogen passivation and ultrasonication was developed for the fi rst time to disperse multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) in ethanol solution and epoxy resin. Excellent dispersion of MWCNTs was achieved in both media. Three-point bending tests of the MWCNT/epoxy nanocomposites revealed a remarkable increase in elastic modulus with increasing MWCNT content.