Embodiments of the present disclosure pertain to methods of making a carbon nanotube hybrid material by depositing a catalyst solution onto a carbon-based material, and growing carbon nanotubes on the carbon-based material such that the grown carbon nanotubes become covalently linked to the carbon-based material through carbon-carbon bonds. The catalyst solution includes a metal component (e.g., iron) and a buffer component (e.g., aluminum) that may be in the form of particles. The metal component of the particle may be in the form of a metallic core or metallic oxide core while the buffer component may be on a surface of the metal component in the form of metal or metal oxides. Further embodiments of the present disclosure pertain to the catalytic particles and carbon nanotube hybrid materials. The carbon nanotube hybrid materials of the present disclosure may be incorporated as electrodes (e.g., anodes or cathodes) in energy storage devices.