Cheap metal to replace platinum in hydrogen fuel cell
We have tinkered with this a little. Currently, a handful of others have been experimenting with certain blends of metals, using lower costs to create equal reactions.

I have heard a lot of different ratios of Ni/Cu and Pd blends. But a good experimental blend (if your making a reasonable size batch), would comprise of a ZrO2–Pd(x)D core, with (x) varying as a slew of other metals. 
 This article is regarding the direct deposition of hydrogen on palladium, probably a little more refined towards what you where searching. 

While im not sure how intricate your going to get with your experimental cell, here is some good food for thought., If you can create a vessel with proper pressure safety, academic groups have been experimenting with super critical fluids, trying to test metallic blends as catalysts under states past standard classical critical conditions.