Practical challenges of metal hydrides for hydrogen storage such as magnesium hydride, lie predominantly in improving hydrogen absorption kinetics and capacity. Approaches to improving kinetics of Mg commonly include changing particle geometry, reducing crystallite size and coating with catalytic transition metals such as Ni. This Study is aimed at improving the hydrogen storage kinetics and capacity of Mg by a novel approach utilizing high aspect ratio powders (thin metal flakes with large diameters) coated with a Ni nano-catalyst. A high speed orbiting ball media (HSOBM) processor was utilized to fabricate the flake-shaped materials. Mg flakes effectively coated with Ni nano-catalyst using dry mechanical coating were found to possess more favorable hydrogen absorption/desorption characteristics and improved hydrogen storage capacity than traditional spherical particles. Geometric shape was shown to be a vital factor in hydrogen absorption kinetics and its effects proved to be dominant over those of crystallite size. (C) 2008 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.