Ultra-high performance nano carbon, represented by carbon nanotubes and graphene, has excellent comprehensive mechanical, thermal, and electrical properties and is an ideal reinforcement for composite materials. Adding a small amount of nano carbon as reinforcements to aluminum, is expected to develop composite materials with high strength, high modulus, and low thermal expansion, while maintaining the characteristics of lightweight and easy processing, and has significant application prospects in aviation,aerospace,national defense, and other fields. Therefore, the new generation of aluminum based composite materials represented by nano carbon/aluminum have attracted much attention. However, nano carbon are prone to agglomerate and do not infiltrate most metals such as aluminum, and they are easily distributed at grain boundaries to induce extreme grain refinement, making it difficult to improve key performance indicators such as strength and toughness of composite materials, or significantly reducing plasticity and toughness while increasing strength, greatly limiting their potential engineering applications. This article reviews the strategies and methods of domestic and foreign researchers in strengthening and toughening nano carbon/aluminum composites, including dispersion of nano carbon,regulation of interface and configuration etc. in recent years, with the aim of promoting the development of a new generation of lightweight and high-strength nano carbon/aluminum composites and supporting future major engineering applications in the country.