Surface enhanced Raman scattering with 676.4 and 1064 nm excitations was used to investigate single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) compressed non-hydro statically at 0.58 GPa, alone or dispersed into chemical reactive and non-reactive host matrices. By compression, SWNTs break in fragments of different size. Between SWNTs fragments and the host matrix various mechanico-chemical reactions take place. In matrices such KI and Ag, donor-acceptor complexes are formed. In aromatic hydrocarbons like biphenyl or p-terphenyl, an ionic and covalent functionalization of SWNTs fragments is demonstrated by new bands at 1160 and 1458 cm(-1), the latter being associated to an A(g)(2) pentagonal pinch mode. (c) 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.