Microamounts of Cu are applied by the methods of electrodeposition (Cu-ed) and magnetron sputtering (Cu-spr) on a new carbon material, carbon nanowalls (CNW). The galvanic displacement (GD) of Cu-ed and Cu-spr in a PtCl42- solution (with 0.5 M H2SO4 as the supporting electrolyte) produces Pt(Cu)/CNW catalysts. The possibility of using open-circuit potential transients recorded in the course of GD for monitoring the surface layer composition is considered. The stable Pt(Cu)(st) samples are characterized by several methods (SEM, TEM, XPS, voltammetry, etc.). It is shown that Pt(Cu)(st) has structure of the core(Pt, Cu)-shell(Pt) type with the average atomic ratio Pt:Cu (%) similar to 57:43 for Cued and similar to 80:20 for Cusp,. The formation of the dense Pt shell is also confirmed by the data on the electrocatalytic activity of synthesized samples in the methanol oxidation reaction. The reasons for deviations in the properties of Pt(Cu)(st)/CNW samples formed from Cued and Cusp, are discussed. The high specific surfaces of the Pt(Cu)(st)/CNW catalyst obtained from Cued (>40 m(2)/g Pt) with the simultaneous decrease in the Pt content makes this material promising for using in the platinum-catalyzed processes (particularly, in fuel cells). (C) 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.