The integrity and performance of Pd-based membranes depends heavily on the properties of the substrate. This study presents the development of a new planar Ni-based porous support for Pd composite membranes. Ni powder was mixed with a 0.1 wt% of Ti and Cu, which have different melting temperatures, and was later uniaxially pressed in a metal mold to make substrate. The pressed substrates were heat treated at 1223 K in a hydrogen environment for 2 h. The pore size and its uniformity were determined using a mercury porosimeter. Adding 0.1 wt% of Ti sufficiently prevents sintering of metal and results in a good pore size distribution. With the aid of a pretreatment, i.e., polishing, etching and alumina coating, and electroless plating, a 9.3-mu m-thick Pd membrane could be fabricated on the Ni-Ti substrate, exhibiting a H-2 permeation flux of similar to 0.1445 mol m(-2) s(-1) with selectivity (H-2/He) of similar to 1600 at 723 K and a pressure difference of 100 kPa. Copyright (C) 2014, Hydrogen Energy Publications, LLC. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.