a Hydrogen-fluorine exchange in the NaBH 4 -NaBF 4 system is investigated using a range of experimental methods combined with DFT calculations and a possible mechanism for the reactions is proposed. Fluorine substitution is observed using in situ synchrotron radiation powder X-ray diffraction (SR-PXD) as a new Rock salt type compound with idealized composition NaBF 2 H 2 in the temperature range T = 200 to 215 1C. Combined use of solid-state 19 F MAS NMR, FT-IR and DFT calculations supports the formation of a BF 2 H 2 complex ion, reproducing the observation of a 19 F chemical shift at 144.2 ppm, which is different from that of NaBF 4 at 159.2 ppm, along with the new absorption bands observed in the IR spectra. After further heating, the fluorine substituted compound becomes X-ray amorphous and decomposes to NaF at B310 1C. This work shows that fluorine-substituted borohydrides tend to decompose to more stable compounds, e.g. NaF and BF 3 or amorphous products such as closo-boranes, e.g. Na 2 B 12 H 12 . The NaBH 4 -NaBF 4 composite decomposes at lower temperatures (300 1C) compared to NaBH 4 (476 1C), as observed by thermogravimetric analysis. NaBH 4 -NaBF 4 (1 : 0.5) preserves 30% of the hydrogen storage capacity after three hydrogen release and uptake cycles compared to 8% for NaBH 4 as measured using Sievert's method under identical conditions, but more than 50% using prolonged hydrogen absorption time. The reversible hydrogen storage capacity tends to decrease possibly due to the formation of NaF and Na 2 B 12 H 12 . On the other hand, the additive sodium fluoride appears to facilitate hydrogen uptake, prevent foaming, phase segregation and loss of material from the sample container for samples of NaBH 4 -NaF.