Single-walled carbon nanotubes were functionalized with alkyl and aryl groups using high-speed vibration mill (HSVM) mechanochemical technique. The functionalized SWNTs with long alkyl chains can be dissolved in many common organic solvents. Raman, UV/Vis, FTIR and H-1 NMR spectra as well as TEM data were used to characterize the product. The mechanism of the reaction was also proposed and discussed. (C) 2007 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.