The　Pt3Tex/C　nanocatalyst　was　prepared　and　its　catalytic　performance　for　ethanol　oxidation　was　investigated　for　the　first　time.　The　Pt3Te/C　nanoparticles　were　characterized　by　an　X-ray　diffractometer　(XRD),　transmission　electron　microscope　(TEM)　and　energy　dispersive　X-ray　spectroscopy　equipped　with　TEM　(TEM-EDX).　The　Pt3Te/C　catalyst　has　a　typical　fcc　structure　of　platinum　alloys　with　the　presence　of　Te.　Its　particle　size　is　about　2.8　nm.　Among　the　synthesized　catalysts　with　different　atomic　ratios,　the　Pt3Te/C　catalyst　has　the　highest　anodic　peak　current　density.　The　cyclic　voltammograms　(CV)　show　that　the　anodic　peak　current　density　for　the　Pt3Te/C,　commercial　PtRu/C　and　Pt/C　catalysts　reaches　1002,　832　and　533　A　g(-1),　respectively.　On　the　current-time　curve,　the　anodic　current　on　the　Pt3Te/C　catalyst　was　higher　than　those　for　the　catalysts　reported.　So,　these　findings　show　that　the　Pt3Te/C　catalyst　has　uniform　nanoparticles　and　the　best　activity　among　the　synthesized　catalysts,　and　it　is　better　than　commercial　PtRu/C　and　Pt/C　catalysts　for　ethanol　oxidation　at　room　temperature.　(C)　2007　Elsevier　B.V.　All　rights　reserved.