The catalytic partial oxidation (CPO) of methane-hydrogen mixtures in air, intended for the first stage of hybrid radiant catalytic burners, was investigated under self-sustained short contact time conditions on commercial Ni foam catalysts eventually modified with Rh and Pt. The modified catalysts were prepared by a simple novel method based on the spontaneous deposition of noble metals via metal exchange reactions onto those Ni foam substrates. SEM-EDS, electrochemical methods and H-2-TPR analysis were integrated to characterize morphology, surface area of metal deposits and reducibility of foam catalysts before and after exposure to severe conditions in the CPO reactor. In particular Rh forms finely dispersed deposits that retain their high specific surface area at temperatures up ca. 1100 C. Modification with noble metals enhances stability and reducibility of the Ni foam whereas the overall CPO performance is not significantly improved. Safe operation of the CPO reactor with up to 70% vol. H-2 in the fuel mixture has been achieved by properly increasing the feed equivalence ratio to avoid catalyst overheating, while guaranteeing high methane conversions and a persistent net hydrogen production. Copyright (C) 2012, Hydrogen Energy Publications, LLC. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.