The [email protected] core-shell nanoparticles with a thin layer of Pt shell have been prepared by colloidal template method. The structure and composition of the prepared core-shell nanoparticles have been analyzed by using transmission electron microscopy (TEM), energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). In addition, the electrochemical performance of the prepared nanoparticles has been analyzed by potentiodynamic polarization and cyclic voltammetry (CV), by testing their activity towards oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) and methanol oxidation reaction (MOR). Experimental results indicate that the [email protected] particles are well distributed, with an average particle size of approximately 6 nm and shell thickness of approximately 0.5 nm-2.1 nm. Compared with Pt/C, the [email protected]/C nanoparticles prepared in this study show significantly improved catalytic activity towards ORR and MOR. However, with increase in methanol concentration in the electrolyte composed of 0.5 mol L-1 H2SO4 + x mol L-1 methanol (where, x = 0, 0.2, 0.5 and 1.0), the limiting current of MOR on [email protected]/C increase remarkably, whereas the ORR activity weakens. Based on the experimental data, we analyze the mechanism underlying the impact of methanol concentration on the ORR in [email protected]/C and find that the surface of Pt has a variety of activity sites. Copyright (C) 2013, Hydrogen Energy Publications, LLC. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.