Platinum-ruthenium/carbon composite nanofibers were prepared by depositing PtRu nanoparticles directly onto electrospun carbon nanofibers using a polyol processing technique. The morphology and size of PtRu nanoparticles were controlled by 1-aminopyrene functionalization. The noncovalent functionalization of carbon nanofibers by 1-aminopyrene is simple and can be carried out at ambient temperature without damaging the integrity and electronic structure of carbon nanofibers. The resulting PtRu/carbon composite nanofibers were characterized by cyclic voltammogram in 0.5 M H(2)SO(4) and 0.125M CH(3)OH + 0.2 M H(2)SO(4) solutions, respectively. The PtRu/carbon composite nanofibers with 1-aminopyrene functionalization have smaller nanoparticles and a more uniform distribution, compared with those pretreated with conventional acids. Moreover, PtRut/1-aminopyrene functionalized carbon nanofibers have high active surface area and improved performance towards the electrocatalytic oxidation of methanol. (C) 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.