Thin-film rotating disk electrodes (TF-RDEs) have become the preferred half-cell technique for screening small lab-scale quantities of electrocatalysts targeted for proton exchange membrane fuel cells. Utilizing standardized protocols and best practices for Nafion-based catalyst layer fabrication, we demonstrate that catalyst layers fabricated with the rotational air drying technique result in improved film quality and similar to 1.6 x higher ORR activity as compared to the conventional stationary air drying technique for PtCo/C catalysts. The ORR activity of a series of candidate Pt-based electrocatalysts having improved kinetics (Pt-alloys), corrosion-resistance carbon supports, various Pt wt% and the implications for practical proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs) is discussed. Copyright (C) 2015, Hydrogen Energy Publications, LLC. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.