Highly active rhodium/carbon nanocatalysts for ethanol oxidation in alkaline medium

► This work reports a highly active Rh/C electrocatalysts for ethanol oxidation in alkaline solutions. ► This manuscript reports, to our knowledge, the first study of the catalytic activity of Rh/C and Pd-Rh/C in alkaline medium. ► Our results suggest that Rh/C exhibit a much higher activity than that of Pd/C and Pd-Rh/C at low potentials (−0.5 V to −0.3 V vs (Ag/AgCl)). ► Mechanistic discussions using impedance spectra for the possible explanations of the enhanced activity of Rh/C in an alkaline medium are included.