###### Abstract  
The review presents data on the synthesis, properties of carbon-containing compounds, and their application in the technology of obtaining functional and structural composites. Such materials are widely used in recent years due to their good physical and mechanical properties. The review discusses in detail the influence of the chemical composition of various carbon-containing substances and the size of the dispersed phase on the mechanical and physical properties of produced metal matrix composite. The review also concerns methods for the modern synthesis of graphene, carbon nanotubes, and metallic functional and structural composites with reinforcing carbon-containing compounds. Additionally, the results of metal matrix composite modeling are presented. They show that the improved mechanical properties of CNT-Al composites can be attributed to three factors: CNT hardening, matrix grain refinement, and layered architecture. composite materials; functional properties; structural properties; carbon-containing substances; graphene; carbon nanotubes; aluminum +
Footnote †: journal: Applied  
by aluminum matrix composites (AMCs) with a carbon-containing based dispersed phase, in which the targeted regulation of the composition and improvement of the methods for manufacturing composites allows reaching a fundamentally new level of performance properties and low cost [4; 5; 6; 7]. Carbon nanotubes and nanofibers, which have high mechanical characteristics, are considered effective means of improving the physico-mechanical properties of composite materials (CM). When their surface is functionalized (contains various oxygen-containing groups), carbon nanomaterials have free chemical bonds; therefore, they can provide better adhesion between the matrix and filler and, as a result, increase the strength of the material. An effective way to further improve the service properties of CMs (high-temperature strength, rigidity, wear resistance, as well as reduce the cost and improve the manufacturing of CMs) can be the synthesis of reinforcing components directly in the manufacturing processes of CMs. Even at a low volume fraction of reinforcing nanotubes and nanofibers for metal matrix composite materials, high strength is found. Due to this, materials for various fields of technology can be made of them [8; 9; 10; 13; 14; 15; 16; 17; 18]. There is a significant reserve for further improvement of the properties of particulate-filled composites through the development of nanotechnologies and the implementation of the principles of transformation hardening, which are especially effective for heterophase systems, which include composites: the development of methods for introducing reinforcing components of various nature, volume content, and size into a metal matrix, including mechanically activated modifying nanophases; creation of hybrid composite due to poly-reinforcement and functional reinforcement; regulation of the matrix alloys composition; the use of ultrafast hardening in order to obtain an amorphous state and the formation of submicrocrystalline structures during subsequent heat treatments [4; 5]. An effective way to further improve the service properties of composites--high-temperature strength, rigidity, bearing capacity, and wear resistance--as well as reduce the cost and improve the manufacturability of composites can be the implementation of the synthesis of reinforcing components directly in the manufacturing process of composites. Thus, the improvement of methods for the synthesis of dispersion-filled composites in order to achieve the desired performance properties is an urgent task. Carbon-containing substances (carbon nanotubes, carbon nanofibers, carbides, etc.) are actively used to obtain such composites [13; 14; 15; 16; 17; 18]. In particular, actively carbon-containing substances began being used with the development of research in the field of nanostructures and nanostructured materials [10; 13; 14; 15; 16].