Highly dispersed Pd and MnO. nanoparticles supported on the graphitic carbon nitride with different composition have been prepared by a simple liquid deposition-reduction method and used as an efficient FA decomposition catalyst for hydrogen generation. The catalytic activity depends on the Pd-MnOx composition of catalyst, the FA/SF ratio and the reaction temperature. The Pd-MnOx/CN-1 catalyst exhibited excellent catalytic activity for hydrogen generation with the initial TOF of 465 h(-1) from formic acid-sodium formate mixture aqueous solution with a FA/SF ratio of 1:8 at 348 K. The synergetic effect between Pd nanoparticles and the carbon nitride support, the Mn/Pd ratios, the good dispersion of nanoparticles and the nature of the carbon nitride support were suggested to be responsible for the efficient catalytic performance of the Pd-MnOx/CN nanocatalysts. (C) 2017 Hydrogen Energy Publications LLC. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.