Description: In this article, the authors report an atomistic simulation study of the behavior of nanocomposite materials that are formed by incorporating single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs), with three different diameters, and a multiwalled carbon nanotube (MWCNT) into a single-crystal nickel matrix. The interactions between carbon and nickel atoms are described by a modified embedded atom method potential. Mechanical properties of these nanocomposite materials are predicted by atomistic calculations and compared with that of fcc nickel and pristine CNTs. The authors' simulations predict that all Ni/CNT composites studied in this work are mechanically stable. Their elastic properties depend on the volume fraction and diameter of embedded CNTs. The single-crystal Young's modulus (E₁₁) of Ni/SWCNT composites exhibit a large increase in the direction of CNTs alignment compared to that of a single-crystal nickel. However, a moderate but gradual decrease is seen for E₂₂ and E₃₃ in the transverse directions with increase in CNT diameters. As a consequence, Ni/SWCNTs show a gradual decrease for the polycrystalline Young's, bulk and shear moduli with the increasing CNT diameters and volume fractions. These reductions, although moderate, suggest that enhancement of mechanical properties for polycrystalline Ni/SWCNT nanocomposites are not achievable at any CNT volume fraction. The Ni/MWCNT composite ...