Abstract We report on a process for the electrochemical synthesis of Pt particles on a composite of zirconium oxide/electrochemically reduced graphene oxide (ERGO) sheet. The zirconium oxide produces bridging molecules which allow easy anchoring of Pt particles to form a functional ERGO multilayer film produced through a co-electrochemical deposition procedure. The catalytic performance improves as a consequence of the addition of ZrO2, which increases the number of active Pt sites. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Raman spectrometry, X-ray diffraction (XRD), and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) are used to characterize the microstructure and morphology of the synthesized ERGO-ZrO2/Pt electrode. It is found that this approach allows for the development of new kinds of electro catalysts for use in direct methanol fuel cells. The process of methanol oxidation is investigated through cyclic voltammetry and amperometry. The results indicate that the ERGO-ZrO2/Pt electro catalyst exhibits much higher catalytic activity and better stability than either the ERGO/Pt or commercially available Pt/C electro catalysts as well as better tolerance to CO during the electro-oxidation of methanol. The Pt catalysts on the ERGO-ZrO2 composite facilitate the methanol oxidation reaction making this a promising material for application in the direct methanol fuel cells that are used in the fields of biotechnology and environmental chemistry.