Due　to　its　superior　mechanical　properties,　carbon　nanotubes　(CNTs)　can　be　applied　for　material　reinforcement　and　modification.　However,　the　relatively　high　cost　for　CNTs　synthesis　limits　their　large　application　in　construction　materials.　This　study　employed　the　microwave　irradiation　method　to　produce　CNTs　with　low　cost　and　high　efficiency.　The　ferrocene　powder　was　mixed　with　graphite　surfaces　and　irradiated　with　the　microwave.　Particularly,　the　flake　graphite　and　exfoliated　graphite　nanoplatelets　(xGNP)　were　applied　in　this　study　as　substrate.　The　high　temperature　generated　by　the　microwave　irradiation　can　decompose　ferrocene　into　iron　and　hydrocarbons,　which　serve　as　the-catalyst　and　carbon　source　for　the　CNTs　growth,　respectively.　The　morphology,　internal　structure　and　chemical　composition　of　the　synthesized　CNTs　were　then　examined　with　SEM,　TEM　and　EDS.　The　Raman　test　was　also　conducted　to　investigate　the　defect　level　of　synthesized　CNTs.　Then　the　adhesion　energy　between　the　CNTs　and　substrate　was　evaluated　with　the　MD　simulation.　The　obtained　adhesion　energy　between　CNTs　and　non-oxidized　graphene　layers　was　slightly　higher　than　the　calculated　results　between　CNTs　and　oxidized　graphene　layers.　Finally,　the　hybrid　CNTs-graphite　powders　were　used　for　the　modification　of　asphalt　binder.　The　test　results　of　viscosity　and　dynamic　shear　modulus　tests　demonstrate　that　the　hybrid　CNTs-graphite　powders　can　further　improve　the　mechanical　properties　of　asphalt,　especially　at　high　service　temperatures.　(C)　2017　Elsevier　Ltd.　All　rights　reserved.