In the present work, carbon and niobium oxide/carbon supported the Pt and PtCo catalysts (denoted as Pt/C, PtNb₂O₅/C and PtCoNb₂O₅/C) were fabricated by means of the rapid microwave heating method. The synthesized catalysts were examined by transmission electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction and inductively coupled optical emission spectroscopy. The electrocatalytic activity of the PtNb₂O₅/C, PtCoNb₂O₅/C and Pt/C catalysts towards the oxidation of ethanol and reduction of oxygen was investigated by cyclic voltammetry and chrono-techniques.

It was found that Pt nanoparticles of ca. 1-6 nm in size were successively deposited onto the surface of carbon. Pt nanoparticles were uniform and well dispersed on the surface of carbon.

The PtNb₂O₅/C, PtCoNb₂O₅/C and Pt/C catalysts with Pt loadings of 0.114, 0.285 and 0.128 mg Pt cm^–2, respectively, were synthesized.

Ethanol oxidation current densities were found to be ca. 6 and 12 times higher at the PtNb₂O₅/C and PtCoNb₂O₅/C catalysts, respectively, in comparison with those at the Pt/C catalyst.

In the case of oxygen reduction, the PtCoNb₂O₅/C catalyst outperforms the PtNb₂O₅/C and Pt/C catalysts towards oxygen reduction and shows higher onset potential, as well as higher current density towards the oxygen reduction reaction as compared with those at the aforementioned catalysts.