Pdcoated Nb40Ti30Ni30 (Nb-TiNi) is considered a promising material for hydrogen-permeable membranes because of the low usage of Pd metal. This paper reports the degradation of hydrogen permeability occurring during the permeation experiment above 773 K. Surface analysis using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy revealed that interdiffusion between the Pd coating and the constituent elements of Nb and Ti progressed during the permeation experiment. The diffused Ti was concentrated near the topmost surface and then formed TiO2, which resulted in a decrease in the Pd concentration at the topmost surface. However, the diffused Nb was observed to bind to Pd in the surface and formed a Pd-Nb alloy beneath the topmost surface. We concluded that these changes caused the decline of the hydrogen permeability at high-temperature conditions. (C) 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.