A method of preparing a material surface, such as palladium, to facilitate desirable reactions, especially exothermic reactions in a liquid medium, involves placing the material whose surface is to be treated into an electrolytic cell as at least one of the electrodes and then concurrently stimulating the material electrically, vibrationally and photonically. The electrolytic cell includes a solution in water of an electrolyte, a siliceous surfactant and a pH-adjusting agent, all heated and maintained at or just below its boiling point. A series of voltage pulses are applied to the electrodes over an extended time period while also being illuminated with intensity-modulated light pulses. The material surface thus treated exhibits crater sites and silica coatings, evidencing a change in bonding of the palladium surface, as well as a sustained exothermic reaction.