Electro-catalytic activity of enhanced CO tolerant cerium-promoted Pt/C catalyst for PEM fuel cell anode

► Cerium-promoted Pt/C catalyst was prepared for CO tolerance anode material in PEM fuel cell. ► CO tolerance of Pt-CeO2/C in H2SO4 solution and single cell compared to Pt/C. ► CO oxidation activity was strongly depended on the content of the cerium. ► Appropriate content of cerium (20%) promoted the oxidation of CO ► A tentative mechanism is proposed for a synergistic effect between Pt and CeO2 for CO oxidation.