Iron, cobalt and a mixture of iron and cobalt incorporated mesoporous MCM-41 molecular sieves were synthesised by hydrothermal method and used to investigate the rules governing their nanotube producing activity. The catalysts were characterised by XRD and N-2 sorption studies. The effect of the catalysts has been investigated for the production of carbon nanotubes at an optimised temperature 750 degrees C with flow rate of N-2 and C2H2 is 140 and 60 ml/min, respectively for a reaction time 10 min. Fe-Co-MCM- 41 catalyst was selective for carbon nanotubes with low amount of amorphous carbon with increase in single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) yield at 750 degrees C. Formation of nanotubes was studied using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and Raman spectroscopy. Transmission electron microscope and Raman spectrum was used to follow the quality and nature of carbon nanotubes formed and the graphitic layers and disordered band, which shows the clear evidence for the formation of SWNTs, respectively. The result propose that the diameter of the nanotubes in the range of 0.78-1.35 nm. Using our optimised conditions for this system, Fe-Co-MCM-41 showed the best results for selective SWNTs with high yield when compared with Fe-MCM-41 and Co-MCM-41. (C) 2008 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.