This study aims to obtain fundamental understandings involving the manufacturing processes of nano-composites with chemically surface-modified multi-walled carbon nanotubes(MWCNTs), and explore the role of functionalized MWCNTs in the epoxy/MWCNT composites. For this purpose, MWCNTs were purified by the thermo-chemical oxidation process, and incorporated into an epoxy matrix by in situ polymerization process, the surface of MWCNTs were functionalized with carboxyl functions which were demonstrated by an infrared spectroscopy. The mechanical properties of epoxy/MWCNT nano-composites were measured to investigate the role of a chemically functionalized carbon nanotubes. To improve the dispersion quality of MWCNTs in the epoxy matrix, methanol and acetone were exploited as dispersion media with sonification. The epoxy/MWCNT nano-composites with 1 or 2 wt.％ addition of functionalized carbon nanotubes show an improved tensile strength and wear resistance in comparison with pure epoxy, which shows the mechanical load transfer improves through chemical bonds between epoxy and functionalized MWCNTs. The tensile strength with 7 wt.％ functionalized MWCNTs increases by 28％ and the wear resistance is dramatically improved by 100 times.