Amorphous alloys (Co94.6P5.4 and Co71.6Ni18.3P10.1) were prepared by the electroless technique. Oxide coated amorphous alloys were produced by applying a cyclic potential routine to the amorphous alloys immersed in alkaline solution at 30 degrees C. Oxide coatings were characterized by electrochemical techniques and ir spectroscopy. The electrocatalytic activity of oxide coated amorphous alloy electrodes was tested for the oxygen evolution reaction in alkaline solution at 30 degrees C. The high electrocatalytic activity of these electrodes is explained through the development of a porous hydrous oxide film with a spinel-type structure.