The　effect　of　Ti0.4Cr0.15Mn0.15V0.3　(termed　BCC　due　to　the　body　centered　cubic　structure)　alloy　on　the　hydrogen　storage　properties　of　MgH2　was　investigated.　It　was　found　that　the　hydrogenated　BCC　alloy　showed　superior　catalysis　properties　compared　to　the　quenched　and　ingot　samples.　As　an　example,　the　1　h　milled　MgH2　+　20　wt.%　hydrogenated　BCC　shows　a　peak　temperature　of　dehydrogenation　of　about　294　degrees　C.　This　is　16,　27　and　74　degrees　C　lower　than　those　of　MgH2　ball　milled　with　quenched　BCC,　ingot　BCC　and　an　uncatalysed　MgH2　sample,　respectively.　The　hydrogenated　BCC　alloy　is　much　easier　to　crush　into　small　particles,　and　embed　in　MgH2　aggregates　as　revealed　by　X-ray　diffraction　and　scanning　electron　microscope　results.　The　BCC　not　only　increases　the　hydrogen　atomic　diffusivity　in　the　bulk　Mg　but　also　promotes　the　dissociation　and　recombination　of　hydrogen.　The　activation　energy,　E-a,　for　the　dehydrogenation　of　the　MgH2/hydrogenated　BCC　mixture　was　found　to　be　71.2　+/-　5　kJ　mol　H-2(-1)　using　the　Kissinger　method.　This　represents　a　significant　decrease　compared　to　the　pure　MgH2　(179.7　+/-　5　kJ　mol　H-2(-1)),　suggesting　that　the　catalytic　effect　of　the　BCC　alloy　significantly　decreases　the　activation　energy　of　MgH2　for　dehydrogenation　by　surface　activation.　(C)　2010　Professor　T.　Nejat　Veziroglu.　Published　by　Elsevier　Ltd.　All　rights　reserved.