Uniformly dispersed Pt over CNT-Pani hybrid support, shows considerable proficiency in energy conversion for ethanol electro-oxidation in acid medium. Thermal stability of the configuration was studied by thermo gravimetry while the functional moieties within the close packed composite structure were identified through FTIR spectroscopy. The size, shape and distribution of Pt NPs over the polymer modified CNT support were investigated through XRD and TEM analysis and the morphology was obtained from FESEM studies. The much improved functional property of Pt decorated CNT-Pani composite with respect to Pt over bare CNT, for direct ethanol fuel cell (DEFC), is attributable to the simultaneous effect of several promoting factors like creation of active electrochemical centers, charge tunneling and proton gliding within the composite structure, ensuring faster reaction kinetics and propagation of the reaction to considerable extent. (C) 2017 Hydrogen Energy Publications LLC. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.