TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - INORGANIC CHEMISTRY - Preferred Components: The nanostructured biomaterial is: is silica diatoms, titania diatoms, alumina diatoms, zirconia diatoms (all preferred), magnesia diatoms, boria diatoms, silica-alumina diatoms, titania-alumina diatoms, silica-titania diatoms, silica-zirconia diatoms, silica-magnesia diatoms, silica-alumina-titania diatoms, silica-alumina-zirconia diatoms, boria-alumina diatoms, tungstated zirconia diatoms, alumina-zirconia diatoms, alumina-ceria diatoms, yttria diatoms, lanthana diatoms, ceria diatoms, neodymia diatoms, samaria diatoms, europia diatoms, gadolinia diatoms, praseodymia diatoms, silica-thoria diatoms, silica-berylia diatoms, silica-alumina-thoria diatoms and/or aluminophosphates, or their oxides; an unmodified nanostructured silica and/or a nanostructured silica modified with at least one non-silicon metal; a modified nanostructured silica having at least one partial substitution of silicon atoms by non-silicon metal atoms in the nanostructure and/or a modified nanostructured silica having non-silicon metal nanoparticles associated with the nanostructured silica; or silica diatomaceous earth, titania diatomaceous earth, zirconia diatomaceous earth, alumina diatomaceous earth, boria diatomaceous earth, yttria diatomaceous earth, lanthana diatomaceous earth and/or ceria diatomaceous earth, or their oxides. The hydride source comprises metal hydrides of formula (((M1(+n))x((M2Hy)(-m1)z) or (((M1)(+n))x((M2HyXq)(-m2))z), preferably lithium aluminum hydride, sodium aluminum hydride, lithium borohydride, sodium borohydride (all preferred), potassium aluminum hydride, rubidium aluminum hydride, cesium aluminum hydride, potassium borohydride, rubidium borohydride, cesium borohydride, sodium gallium hydride, potassium gallium hydride, aluminum tetrahydroborate, magnesium borohydride, titanium tetrahydroborate, calcium borohydride, magnesium aluminum hydride, lithium aluminum borohydride (LiAlH2(BH4)2), titanium tetra-aluminum hydride, zirconium tri-borohydride, magnesium bis-aluminum hydride, beryllium bis-aluminum hydride, sodium lithium aluminum hydride, copper aluminum hydride, manganese bis-aluminum hydride, iron bis-aluminum hydride, silver aluminum hydride, gallium tri-aluminum hydride, indium tri-aluminum hydride, cerium tri-aluminum hydride, tin tetra-aluminum hydride, sodium cyanoborohydride, lithium triethylborohydride and/or lithium triethylaluminumhydride. The nanostructured biomaterial is nanostructured silica or nanostructured titania. The hydride source is lithium hydride, sodium hydride, potassium hydride, rubidium hydride, cesium hydride, calcium hydride, magnesium hydride, strontium hydride, barium hydride, scandium hydride, yttrium hydride, lanthanum hydride, actinium hydride, ytterbium hydride, cerium hydride, praseodymium hydride, neodymium hydride, lanthanum trihydride, yttrium trihydride, diytterbium pentahydride, titanium hydride, zirconium hydride, hafnium hydride, thorium hydride of formula (Th4H15), protactinium trihydride, uranium hydride, vanadium hydride, niobium hydride, tantalum hydride, vanadium dihydride, niobium dihydride, chromium hydride, chromium dihydride, nickel hydride, palladium hydride, zinc hydride, cadmium hydride, mercury hydride, beryllium hydride, aluminum hydride, gallium hydride and/or a hydride of formula (Ln1H2) or (Ln2H3). In the catalytic hydrogen storage system the environmental control system: is operable to release at least a portion of the stored gas from within the sealed environment by a process comprising subjecting the nanostructured biomaterial in contact with the hydride source to a predefined temperature and pressure; and is operable to re-expose the nanostructured biomaterial in contact with hydride source to the gas, and store at least a portion of the gas in the hydrogen storage medium. Preferred Method: The method for storing hydrogen further comprises: releasing at least a portion of the hydrogen from the catalytic composition by subjecting the catalytic hydrogen storage system to a predefined temperature and pressure. In the catalytic hydrogen storage system the environmental control system: is operable to release at least a portion of the stored gas from within the sealed environment by a process comprising subjecting the catalytic composition to a predefined temperature and pressure; and is operable to re-expose the catalytic composition to the gas, and store at least a portion of the gas in the hydrogen storage medium, where the gas includes hydrogen.M1 = at least one metal of Group 1-12, lanthanide or actinide;+n = total formal charge on the combined metals;M2 = Group 13 element;y = number of hydride ligands associated with M2;-m1 = formal charge on the hydride complex, where m1 is y-3;x, z = numbers corresponding to the stoichiometry in the compound, where xx n = z x m1;-m2 = formal charge on hydride complex, where m2 is y+q-3;X = halide, tetrahydridoborate, tetrahydridoaluminate, 1-12C alkyl, 6-12C aryl, 1-12C alkoxide or 6-12C aryl oxide;q = number of non-hydride ligands associated with M2;x, z = numbers corresponding to stoichiometry in the compound, where xx n = z x m2;Ln1 = Ce, Pr, Nd, Sm, Gd, Tb, Dy, Ho, Er, Tm or Lu; andLn2 = Sm, Gd, Tb, Dy, Ho, Er, Tm or Lu. EXAMPLE - A solution of sodium aluminum hydride in tetrahydrofuran (6 ml) was added to a sample of previously baked diatoms (1.1 g) in a single-neck flask inside a glovebox under an inert atmosphere. Initial mixing resulted in the formation of gas, which subsided within one minute. The resultant suspension was allowed to stir at room temperature overnight, then the solvent was removed under reduced pressure, to obtain the catalytic composition.