The CoB-silica nanochains hydrogen storage composite was prepared by in-situ reduction of cobalt salt on the surface of amine-modified silica nanospheres. The structure and morphology of the sample were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The valence state of atoms was characterized by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The electrochemical properties of the sample were also investigated. The results demonstrated that the CoB-silica nanochains hydrogen storage composite possessed amorphous nanochains structure by a series of nanospheres connecting in one-dimension. In addition, the material as electroactive negative electrodes showed high reversible discharge capacity (about 500 mAh/g in the first cycle) and good cycling stability. A properly electrochemical reaction mechanism was constructed primarily. (c) 2009 Professor T. Nejat Veziroglu. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.