High purity Ta2C was successfully prepared and the hydrogen absorption-desorption kinetic properties of MgH2-10 wt% Ta2C composites were investigated systematically. It was found that the hydrogen absorption of Mg-10 wt% Ta2C (20 nm) composite takes about 5 min to reach saturation at 573 K, and its hydride fully desorbs hydrogen within 15 min at 623 K. These kinetic properties are much better than those of the undoped Mg and MgH2 prepared under the same condition, respectively. The improvement in the hydrogen storage kinetics is ascribed to the catalytic effect of Ta2C and its inhibition role in crystallite growth. (C) 2019 Hydrogen Energy Publications LLC. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.