A 500 h life-test of direct methanol fuel cell (DMFC) was conducted in a single cell. X-ray diffraction (XRD) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) images showed that after life-test, the particle size of electrocatalysts increased both in anode and cathode, and the degree is higher in cathode. Electrochemical areas (ECAs) of anode and cathode catalyst were evaluated by CO-stripping and hydrogen-desorption test, respectively. It was found that the ECA loss is higher than the specific surface area (SSA) loss (determined by XRD) that merely due to the sintering of the electrocatalyst particles. Energy dispersive X-ray analysis (EDX) revealed a crossover of ruthenium from the anode side to the cathode side in the cell. (c) 2005 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.