The porous alpha-Fe2O3 supported Pt catalyst is synthesized by a facial thermal treatment assisted precipitation method. The particle size of Pt is less than 3 nm. The pore diameters of alpha-Fe2O3 particles are concentrated to 2.46 nm in a mesooporous scale. Its electrochemical performance is tested. The ethanol oxidation current of the Pt/Fe2O3 catalsyt obviously improves under illumination, compared with that in the dark, during the optical switching operation. Moreover, with the addition of alpha-Fe2O3, the ethanol oxidation current of Pt/C grows about 51% under illumination and 32% in the dark; the onset potential shifts negtively for about 20 mV. This work demostrates an optical strategy which can be a potential alternative to accelerate electrode reactions towards ethanol oxidation reaction. (C) 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.