Palladium nanoparticles supported on silica catalysts (Pd/SiO 2 ) were prepared by wet impregnation (WI), dry impregnation (DI), strong electrostatic adsorption (SEA), and charge-enhanced dry impregnation (CEDI) methods. The Pd/SiO 2 samples with highly dispersed and tight size-distributed palladium nanoparticles are obtained via SEA and CEDI methods based on strong electrostatic interactions between the dissolved metal precursor ([Pd(NH 3 ) 4 ] 2+ ) and positively charged SiO 2 support in an alkali-impregnating solution (initial pH = 12). The Pd/SiO 2 -SEA samples prepared by the SEA method usually showed higher palladium dispersions (>50%) than those prepared by CEDI (Pd dispersion = 32−45%). The surface loading (support surface area per liter of preparation solution), pH regulator (NaOH or NH 4 OH), Pd loading, and reduction temperature were shown to be key factors affecting the dispersion of palladium in the Pd/SiO 2 -SEA samples, as well as the leaching/dissolution of SiO 2 and palladium in the alkali solution. The Pd/SiO 2 -SEA samples prepared with proper SLs of 30,000−100,000 m 2 L −1 using NH 4 OH as the pH regulator exhibited not only very high Pd dispersions (64−97%) but also negligible losses of SiO 2 and Pd in the impregnating solution. The Pd/SiO 2 -SEA samples also exhibited better catalytic performance in methane combustion based on both the T 10 and T 50 temperatures and the intrinsic activities (mass-specific activity and/or turnover frequency (TOFs)). The TOFs generally decreased from 130 h −1 to 6.2 h −1 as Pd dispersion increased from 32% to 97% for the Pd/SiO 2 -SEA(NH 4 OH) catalysts. Moreover, the reaction activity of Pd/SiO 2 -SEA catalysts was significantly improved by increasing the fraction of Pd 0 in the range of 70−85%, indicating that this size-sensitive catalysis would be related to the redox properties of the supported Pd nanoparticles.