IR thermography was used for the rapid evaluation of the anode catalyst for proton-exchange-membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs). A series of catalysts, Pt/C modified metal oxides, was tested for the combustion of diluted CO, H-2 and CO + H-2 in air. Nine metal oxides were found to improve the CO-tolerance of Pt/C in gas phase reaction. Among them, the Pt/C modified with niobium oxide or tantalum oxide was electrochemically tested by conventional cyclic voltammetry using a rotating electrode. With the addition of these metal oxides to Pt/C, the possibility of CO-tolerance improvement was also found in the CV measurements. (C) 2003 Published by Elsevier B.V.