Carbon　nanotubes　(CNTs)　as　functional　materials　have　aroused　great　interest　among　researchers　due　to　their　remarkable　mechanical,　electrical,　thermal,　and　other　photoelectric　properties.　However,　CNTs　tend　to　agglomerate　into　crystalline　bundles　because　of　the　strong　Van　der　Waals　attraction　force,　adversely　affecting　their　properties.　This　tendency　to　self-aggregate　has　been　an　important　barrier　to　their　chemical　and　physical　manipulation　and　thus　to　their　practical　applications.　To　overcome　this　barrier,　advances　in　the　maximum-effective　dispersion　(denoted　as　mono-dispersion)　of　CNTs　in　the　liquid　phase　(water　and　organic　solvent)　or　solid　remain　critical　to　realizing　many　important　commercial　applications.　Herein　we　summarize　recent　breakthroughs　in　the　strategies　of　CNTs　dispersion　and　highlight　the　key　ongoing　research　challenges.　Studies　for　currently　understanding　the　aggregation　and　dispersion　kinetics　of　CNTs　are　mainly　consisting　of　two　aspects,　covalent　or　non-covalent　bonding　functionalization,　which　are　usually　introduced　to　nullify　or　reduce　their　Van　der　Waals　force,　thus　improving　their　self-assembling　characteristics.　In　particular,　the　roles　of　non-covalent　bonding　modifications,　including　electrostatic　interaction,　π-π　stacking　interaction,　dipole　interactions,　Van　der　Waals　interactions,　hydrogen　bond,　and　coordination,　are　more　attractive　in　CNTs　dispersion　without　disturbing　their　internal　electronic　structure.　The　surface　modification　techniques　and　potential　applications　are　also　highlighted.　©　2023　Elsevier　Ltd