Magnetic chitosan (CS-Fe3O4) was synthesized via a co-precipitation method and used as supports to anchor palladium nanoparticles (Pd(0)/CS-Fe3O4) by chemical reduction of PdCl2 with NaBH4. The results showed that the nanosized palladium particles were highly dispersed onto CS-Fe3O4 and the resulting Pd(0)/CS-Fe3O4 catalysts exhibited high catalytic activity and good recyclability for the hydrolysis of ammonia borane (NH3BH3, AB). The turnover frequency (TOF) of the catalysts was as high as 15.0 mol(H2)center dot mol(pd)(-1)center dot min(-1) at 30 degrees C and the catalytic activity had not obvious decrease even after eight recycle experiments. The results of kinetic experiments showed that the activation energy of the reaction (E-a)is 35.94 kJ mol(-1) The orders of palladium and AB concentrations in the catalytic reaction were 0.70 and 0.62, respectively. (C) 2017 Hydrogen Energy Publications LLC. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.