Nafion(R) can be used as a solid polymer electrolyte in a PEM fuel cell. Direct platinization of the membrane was realized by chemical reduction of a platinum compound. The platinization procedure was modified to enhance the roughness factor and thus to improve the electrocatalytic activity towards ethanol electrooxidation. The Pt-PEM electrodes were characterized by TEM, atomic absorption analysis, cyclic voltammetry and their polarization curves for ethanol electrooxidation.