CNTs/Ti　composites　(Carbon　nanotube　reinforced　titanium　matrix　composites)　with　a　novel　micro-nano　laminated　structure　consisting　of　alternating　CNTs　nanolayers　and　Ti　microlayers　were　successfully　prepared　by　electrophoretic　deposition　combined　with　spark　plasma　sintering　and　temperature-controlled　rolling.　The　CNTs/Ti　composites　exhibited　a　simultaneous　enhancement　in　both　strength　and　ductility　compared　to　pure　Ti　fabricated　by　the　same　methods,　despite　the　addition　of　CNTs　being　an　ultra-low　0.02　weight　percent　(wt.%).　The　improvement　in　strength　was　attributed　to　(i)　the　high　strengthening　efficiency　of　individually　dispersed,　structurally　intact　CNTs　and　(ii)　Heterogeneous　deformation-induced　(HDI)　strengthening　resulting　from　the　heterogeneous　deformation　between　soft　Ti　microlayers　and　hard　CNTs　nanolayers.　Furthermore,　the　HDI　hardening　induced　by　the　micro-nano　laminated　structure　led　to　extra　work　hardening,　enhancing　the　uniform　deformability　of　CNTs/Ti　composites.　Consequently,　strain　localization　was　suppressed,　as　observed　by　in-situ　tensile　experiments,　thereby　preventing　the　initiation　of　interfacial.　Additionally,　interfacial　crack　propagation　was　significantly　delayed　due　to　CNTs　bridging　and　crack　tip　blunting　by　ductile　Ti　microlayers,　thereby　promoting　the　total　elongation　to　failure.　Moreover,　a　progressive　fracture　process　consisting　of　three　stages　was　proposed,　based　on　three-dimensional　visualization　and　quantitative　analysis　of　crack　volumes.　This　provided　a　new　strategy　for　overcoming　the　strength-ductility　trade-off　of　traditional　metal　(Ti,　Al,　Fe,　Ni,　etc.)　matrix　composites　through　the　reasonable　design　of　a　hierarchical　architecture　based　on　an　ultra-low　amount　of　high-quality　nanoscaled　reinforcements.　©　2023　Elsevier　Ltd