Pd nanoparticles were supported on different types of the carbon materials including multiwall carbon nanotube (MWCNT), carbon black and activated carbon fiber (ACF) prepared by the intermittent microwave heating (IMH) technique. Different electrochemical techniques were employed to characterize the catalytic activities of the Pd-based electrocatalysts for ethanol oxidation in comparison with the Pt/C electrocatalyst. Pd supported on multiwall carbon nanotube (Pd/MWCNT) electrocatalyst showed the best performance for ethanol oxidation in alkaline media. An over 100 mV negative shift of the onset potential for ethanol oxidation was found on Pd/MWCNT compared to that on Pt/C. The results indicated that the support would significantly influence the catalytic activities of the Pd-based electrocatalysts for ethanol oxidation. (c) 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.