A method of selective placement of carbon nanotubes on a substrate surface, comprising: contacting carbon nanotubes with an organic compound that comprises at least first and second functional groups, wherein the first functional group comprises at least one aromatic or heteroaromatic functional moiety having from about 1 to about 12 rings with at least one diazonium salt substituent, with or without additional substituent(s) and is capable of forming covalent bonds with carbon nanotubes, and wherein the second functional group comprises at least one organic acid functional moiety selected from the group consisting of carboxylic acids, hydroxamic acids, and phosphonic acids, and wherein said first and second functional groups are linked together by either a single covalent bond or a linker containing from about 0 to about 20 carbon atoms and is capable of selectively bonding to metal oxides, to form functionalized carbon nanotubes having said organic compound covalently bound thereto via the first functional group; contacting the functionalized carbon nanotubes with a substrate surface, and wherein at least one portion of the substrate surface comprises a metal oxide layer that comprises aluminum oxide and/or hafnium oxide, wherein the second functional group of the organic compound selectively bonds to the metal oxide, thereby selectively placing the functionalized carbon nanotubes on the at least one portion of the substrate surface comprising the metal oxide; removing excess functionalized carbon nanotubes from the substrate surface, after the substrate surface has been contacted with the functionalized carbon nanotubes; any annealing the substrate surface after removal of the excess functionalized carbon nanotubes, so as to remove the organic compound and form pristine carbon nanotubes that are selectively placed on the at least one portion of the substrate surface comprising the metal oxide. contacting carbon nanotubes with an organic compound that comprises at least first and second functional groups, wherein the first functional group comprises at least one aromatic or heteroaromatic functional moiety having from about 1 to about 12 rings with at least one diazonium salt substituent, with or without additional substituent(s) and is capable of forming covalent bonds with carbon nanotubes, and wherein the second functional group comprises at least one organic acid functional moiety selected from the group consisting of carboxylic acids, hydroxamic acids, and phosphonic acids, and wherein said first and second functional groups are linked together by either a single covalent bond or a linker containing from about 0 to about 20 carbon atoms and is capable of selectively bonding to metal oxides, to form functionalized carbon nanotubes having said organic compound covalently bound thereto via the first functional group; contacting the functionalized carbon nanotubes with a substrate surface, and wherein at least one portion of the substrate surface comprises a metal oxide layer that comprises aluminum oxide and/or hafnium oxide, wherein the second functional group of the organic compound selectively bonds to the metal oxide, thereby selectively placing the functionalized carbon nanotubes on the at least one portion of the substrate surface comprising the metal oxide; removing excess functionalized carbon nanotubes from the substrate surface, after the substrate surface has been contacted with the functionalized carbon nanotubes; any annealing the substrate surface after removal of the excess functionalized carbon nanotubes, so as to remove the organic compound and form pristine carbon nanotubes that are selectively placed on the at least one portion of the substrate surface comprising the metal oxide.