NOVELTY - Alleviating problems of prior art such as suitable fluid properties, by producing a catalyst in a form with satisfactory fluid properties to enable it to be applied as a coating with sufficient catalytic activity and with sufficient adhesion properties to enable it to adhere to a metal surface.    USE - The invention is for formation of catalyst coating on metallic surface, which is a channel forming part of a heat exchanger, steam reformer, or fuel cell (claimed). Fuel cell includes molten carbonate fuel cell or solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC).    ADVANTAGE - The invention offers the benefit of less catalyst needed than would be the case with conventional catalyst forms, and lower pressure drop within the gas distribution channels. It offers the opportunity to reduce reactor size. It does not require the deposition of multiple layers reducing faults, production time and costs. It extends the range of methane conversions obtainable from SOFC pre-reformers, while simplifying the process design. The inventive catalyst has satisfactory fluid properties, e.g., catalytic activity and adhesion properties. The catalyst loading can be reduced by a factor of 8, without the loss of performance.    DETAILED DESCRIPTION - A catalyst coating is formed on a metallic surface by: mixing non-dispersible catalyst particles with water and a water-dispersible solid to form a washcoat; adjusting the pH of the mixture to produce a predetermined viscosity; coating the mixture onto a metallic surface; and drying and calcining the coating.    INDEPENDENT CLAIMS are also included for:    (1) a catalyst for application as a coating to a metallic surface, the catalyst being providing as non-dispersible particles in a water dispersible solid solution to form a washcoat;    (2) a metallic surface with a catalyst coating applied by the claimed method;    (3) a steam reformer including a metallic surface; and    (4) a fuel cell including a metallic surface (2).    DESCRIPTION OF DRAWING(S) - The figure shows a function of the relationship between pH and viscosity of a coating.