Platinum and platinum-tin alloy dispersed on active carbon are used as the catalysts for methanol clcctro-oxidation. Gas chromatographic and X-ray powder diffraction analysis show that the co-existence of Pt/C and PtSn/C in the catalysts yields better catalysis for methanol clcctro-oxidation than Pt/C alone. The electrochemical bchaviour of the electrodes made from catalys Pt/C and Pt-PtSn/C are investigated, together with platinum black for purposed of comparison. A new intermcdiate species is suggcsted to be prescnt in the methanol clcctro-oxidation.