BACKGROUND: Magnesium hydride is considered to be a promising hydrogen storage material because of its high gravimetric and volumetric storage capacities. However, its slow kinetics and high desorption temperature of >300 degrees C limit practical applications. In this work, TiC nanoparticles were selected to modify the hydrogen storage properties of MgH2. Composite mixtures (MgH2+TiC) were prepared using both cryogenic milling and high-energy ball milling. RESULTS: The resulting morphology and crystallite structure of the composites were identified by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD). The milled samples show good mixing of the hydride and carbide particles, with MgH2 particles around 0.09-1 mu m and TiC particles 10-20 nm. The (MgH2+TiC) composites consist of gamma-MgH2, beta-MgH2 and TiC. MgH2 nano-crystallites of 25 nm were formed after cryomilling. Thermogravimetry reveals that the composites release similar to 6.5 mass % hydrogen from 190-400 degrees C at a heating rate of 10 degrees C min(-1) under He flow, with the onset and peak temperatures at 190 and 280 degrees C, respectively, for the (MgH2+TiC) after 8 h cryomilling and 60 h ball milling. CONCLUSION: Results indicate that TiC is an effective catalyst for hydrogen desorption of MgH2. (C) 2010 Society of Chemical Industry