An electrochemical-codeposition method for forming a carbon nanotube (CNT) reinforced metal nanocomposite includes providing a reaction vessel having an anode and a cathode and a plating solution therein, where the plating solution includes at least one acid, at least one surfactant, a plurality of CNTs, and plurality of metal cations that includes at least one metal. The plating solutaion has a pH between 2 and 4.5 and at least one portion of the plurality of CNTs are positively charged CNTs in the plating solution. A power supply is connected between the anode and the cathode. The positively charge CNTs and the metal cations are both electrochemically-codepositioned onto the cathode to form the nanocomposite, wherein the metal provides a continuous metal phase for the nanocomposite
