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The article presents promising catalysts, applicable for direct alcohol fuel cells (DAFC) for portable and mobile applications. The goal of this work is development of Pt and Pd catalysts deposited on interactive nanocrystalline Ru doped SnO 2 support with improved performance. The structure and the morphology of the prepared metal-oxide catalyst support and Pt and Pd based catalysts were examined using XRPD, SEM/EDX and TEM techniques. Electrocatalytic activities of the prepared Pt or Pd based catalysts were evaluated in both alkaline and acidic conditions. The ethanol oxidation reaction (EOR) was studied using conventional electrochemical techniques. The interactive nature of the novel Ru doped SnO 2 catalyst support was confirmed, resulting in the enhancement of the EOR kinetics, in comparison to commercially available catalysts. New and simplified synthetic route applied for preparation of interactive catalyst support was presented with the aim to enable easy scale-up of the catalyst production process. Obtained results on the novel catalysts promise great potential in improving the performance and durability of the DAFC. [Display omitted] • Pt and Pd deposited on Ru–SnO 2 nanocrystalline support for EOR in FC applications. • Ru-doped SnO 2 catalyst support prepared via simplified chemical method. • Interactive nature of the Ru-doped SnO 2 with Pt/Pd confirmed. • Efficient Pt/Ru–SnO 2 catalyst towards the EOR. • Performance and stability suggest the use of novel catalysts in the DAFC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]