The galvanic displacement (GD) of a silver electrodeposit on gold by palladium (displacing agent - Pd2+) is carried out. The resulting composite Pd-0(Ag)(m) is subjected to potential cycling in the supporting electrolyte (0.5 M H2SO4) solution (1-3 cycles) in the E interval 0.09-1.4 V (RHE). All samples are characterized by SEM, XPS, AES-ICP, and CVA methods. The GD fails to produce a Pd shell, which is explained by the fact that Ag adatoms are incorporated into the surface layer on the top of Pd-0 and cannot be substituted by Pd2+. Potential cycling of the initial deposit Pd-0(Ag)(in) results in preferential dissolution of Ag; however, no sufficiently dense Pd shell is formed. Stationary polarization curves at E < 250 mV (vs RHE) in 0.5 M H2SO4 + 0.5 M HCOOH solution reveal the very high specific activity for all Pd-0(Ag)) composites (per cm(2) of EASA) in FAOR, 5-10 times exceeding the activity of electrodeposited (e.d.) Pd. The promotion of Pd by Ag additions was explained by both the inhibition of formation of chemisorbed species and the development of new active sites at the Pd/Ag boundary. (C) 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.