Highly graphitic carbon black (GCB) was synthesized by heat-treating commercial carbon black (CB, Vulcan XC-72) at 2800 degrees C. The resulting GCB with a high degree of graphitization was analyzed by X-ray diffraction patterns (XRD), Raman spectroscopy and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HR-TEM) and was then used as the support material for synthesizing a platinum-GCB (Pt/GCB) hybrid catalyst. This catalyst was obtained through a simple chemical reduction using ethylene glycol as the reducing agent, which is amenable to large-scale production. The results show that the Pt nanoparticles are highly dispersed on the GCB with an average diameter of 3.6 nm and a narrow particle size distribution. The electrochemical results obtained using cyclic voltammetry (CV), linear sweep voltammetry (LSV) utilizing a rotating disk electrode (RDE) and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) show that the Pt/GCB electrocatalyst exhibits higher conductivity, stability, and electrocatalytic activity for the oxygen reduction reaction. The ORR proceeds through a four-electron process and when compared with Pt nanoparticles supported on Vulcan XC-72 (Pt/Vulcan XC-72) prepared under the same conditions, the Pt/GCB exhibits a significant enhancement for the ORR reaction. (C) 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.