Pd-based membranes have been prepared by Pd electroless deposition on porous stainless steel substrate and their structure, composition, morphology and thickness were analyzed by X-ray diffraction (XRD), EDS and scanning electronic microscopy (SEM). The performance of these membranes as hydrogen diffusion electrodes was evaluated in a three-electrode cell in alkaline medium. The activity towards hydrogen oxidation was high at the beginning of the experiment, but it significantly decreased with time. The major cause of this phenomenon has been attributed to the slow entry of hydrogen at the H-2/Pd interface. Even so, the technical feasibility of using these membranes as gas diffusion electrodes (GDE) has been proven. (C) 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.