Via　the　crosslinking　of　chitosan　and　sulfosuccinic　acid　(SSA),　the　acidic　chitosan　membrane　(ACM)　was　prepared　for　biodiesel　production　from　esterification　of　oleic　acid　and　methanol.　ATR-FTIR,　TGA,　XRD,　SEM　and　EDX　were　applied　to　characterize　the　prepared　ACM.　The　acidic　site　density　and　swelling　capacity　of　the　prepared　ACM　were　investigated.　The　ACM　possessed　the　4.62　mmol/g　of　acidic　site　density,　which　was　just　a　little　less　than　4.76　mmol/g　of　Amberlyst-15,　meanwhile,　ACM　was　proven　to　be　much　higher　than　Amberlyst-15　in　swelling　capacity.　Under　the　same　reaction,　the　98.76%　of　conversion　can　be　obtained　while　the　Amberlyst-15　only　reached　44.30%.　The　optimization　of　process　variables　was　conducted　by　the　combination　of　single　factor　experiment　and　Box-Behnken　design　(BBD)　response　surface　methodology.　The　catalytic　activity　of　ACM　in　different　esterification　of　fatty　acids　and　alcohols　was　also　investigated.　And　the　catalytic　mechanism　of　esterification　catalyzed　by　ACM　was　clarified.　Based　on　the　catalytic　mechanism,　the　kinetic　model　was　established　to　describe　the　esterification　and　obtain　relevant　kinetic　parameters　(Ea+,　Ea−,　A+　and　A-),　meanwhile,　the　kinetic　results　were　compared　to　the　same　reaction　with　different　catalysts　in　detail.　Besides,　the　reusability　of　the　prepared　ACM　was　studied.　©　2019　Elsevier　Ltd