A series of low-platinum-content platinum-nickel (Pt-Ni), platinum-cobalt (Pt-Co) binary alloys and platinum nickel cobalt (Pt-Ni-Co) ternary alloys electrocatalysts were successfully prepared by a three-step process based on electrodeposition technique and studied as electrocatalysts for oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) in polymer-electrolyte fuel cells. Kinetics of ORR was studied in 0.5 M H2SO4 solution on the Pt-Ni, Pt-Co and Pt-Ni-Co alloys catalysts using rotating disk electrode technique. Both the series of Pt-Ni, Pt-Co binary alloys and the Pt-Ni-Co ternary alloys catalysts exhibited an obvious enhancement of ORR activity in comparison with pure Pt. The significant promotion of ORR activities of Pt-Ni and Pt-Co binary alloys was attributed to the enhancement of the first electron-transfer step, whereas, Pt-Ni-Co ternary alloys presented a more complicated mechanism during the electrocatalysis process but a much more efficient ORR activities than the binary alloys. (C) 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.