A study of the surface and electrochemical properties of a fullerene soot submitted to several types of heat treatment was conducted. The surface characteristics were investigated for the chemical properties using FTIR and for the specific area using BET. The electrochemical properties were investigated employing the thin porous coating electrode technique, in the presence and absence of dispersed platinum particles. In each case the responses were compared taking as reference the Vulcan XC-72 carbon powder, frequently considered as electrochemical substrates for dispersed electrocatalysts. It is observed that the fullerene soot presents a higher level of oxygenated surface groups, lower conductivity, but larger surface area and high charge storage capacity than the Vulcan XC-72 and Shawinigan carbons. Values of active surface area of dispersed platinum particles close to that on Vulcan are obtained when fullerene soot is employed as catalyst substrate.