A carbon based nanocatalyst in the form of graphene hybridized MoNiCoS (MoNiCoS/Go) was synthesized in a single step hydrothermal method for methanol oxidation in a direct methanol fuel cell, as a substitution for expensive and rare platinum. The results obtained from methanol oxidation over the graphene hybridized MoNiCoS modified electrode revealed suitable electrocatalytic properties and a considerable diffusion current, confirmed by the Tafel plots through calculating the exchange current (io) as an important kinetic parameter of electron transfer. It was found that the above composite could be an appropriate alternative in designing a DMFC fuel cell as a clean energy generator. (C) 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.