In this study, the effect of four metal hydrides on the burning characteristics of boron was investigated. Thermogravimetric experiment results show that the thermal reaction process of boron samples can be divided into five stages. The thermal reactions of boron can be significantly promoted with LiH, which can reduce the initial temperature of the first violent reaction stage by similar to 140 degrees C. The starting temperature of the post-reaction stage also decreases by similar to 260 degrees C. The results of the laser ignition experiment suggest that all four metal hydrides can promote boron burning. Nonetheless, different metal hydrides display varied promotional effects. Among the studied hydrides, LiH is the most effective additive and shortens the ignition delay time of boron by similar to 34.1%. Moreover, it enhances the combustion intensity of boron by similar to 117.6%. The other three metal hydrides (CaH2, TiH2, and ZrH2) can also contribute to boron burning. (C) 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.