The invention concerns a method for preparing a nanocomposite based on
magnesium and another element or compound known to absorb hydrogen and
hardly miscible when ground with magnesium or its hydride, such as
vanadium, titanium or niobium. The method is characterised in that it
consists in submitting magnesium or a compound based on magnesium known
to absorb hydrogen to hydrogenation to obtain the corresponding hydride
in powder form. Said resulting powder hydride is then mixed with the
other element or compound or a hydride of said other element or compound
and the resulting mixture is subjected to intense mechanical grinding
until the corresponding nanocomposite is obtained in the form of a
hydride. Finally, if necessary, the resulting nanocomposite is subjected
to hydrogen desorption. The invention also concerns the resulting
nanocomposite based on Mg, which has the advantage of being inexpensive
and highly efficient for storing hydrogen owing to its microstructure
(that is owing to the nature of its interfaces and the spatial
distribution of its constituents) which is extremely fine and provides an
excellent synergistic effect between Mg and the other element or
compound.