A hydrogen storage and release material is provided in the form of a supportive host component that carries or contains a hydrogen absorbing guest material. Metal compounds, such as oxides, carbides, nitrides, or the like, are prepared to carry polyaromatic molecules that absorb hydrogen in conjugated double bonds. Examples of suitable guest-host materials include layers of vanadium oxide with interacted layers of polyaniline or polythiophene. Dopant elements, like nickel, in the host oxide can enhance hydrogen absorption and de-sorption in the host material.