PtRuMo on multi wall carbon nanotubes (PtRuMo/MWCNTs) as anode catalyst for direct methanol fuel cell (DMFC) was prepared by hydrothermal synthesis method. The results were compared with a PtRu/MWCNTs catalyst prepared using the same synthesis method. The catalysts were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS). PtRuMo nanoparticles were uniformly dispersed on MWCNTs with a mean diameter of about 2.06 nm. The electrocatalytic activities of the synthesized catalysts were measured by cyclic voltammetry, chrono-amperometry and impedance spectroscopy in 0.5 M H2SO4 solution containing 1.0 M CH3OH. PtRuMo/MWCNTs catalyst shows an electrochemically active surface area of 138 m(2) g(Pt)(-1) and a mass activity of 15 A cm(-2) mg(Pt)(-1). The results showed that the PtRuMo/MWCNTs catalysts have a higher electrocatalytic activity toward methanol oxidation than that of PtRu/MWCNTs synthesized by the same hydrothermal method. (C) 2011 Elsevier B. V. All rights reserved.