By comparing the performance of fuel cells operating on some low molecular weight alcohols, it resulted that ethanol may replace methanol in a direct alcohol fuel cell. To improve the performance of a direct ethanol fuel cell (DEFC), it is of great importance to develop anode catalysts for ethanol electro-oxidation more active than platinum alone. This paper presents an overview of catalysts tested as anode and cathode materials for DEFCs, with particular attention on the relationship between the chemical and physical characteristics of the catalysts (catalyst composition, degree of alloying, and presence of oxides) and their activity for the ethanol oxidation reaction. (C) 2007 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.