A membrane electrode assembly comprises (a) a solid electrolyte polymer membrane; (b) an anode electrocatalyst layer disposed at one surface of the membrane and comprising a first electrocatalyst composition comprising carbon substrate particles and nanoparticles comprising an alloy of platinum and ruthenium disposed on the surface of the substrate particles; (c) a cathode electrocatalyst layer disposed at an opposite surface of the membrane, the cathode layer comprising a second electrocatalyst composition different from the first electrocatalyst composition and comprising carbon substrate particles and nanoparticles comprising platinum disposed on the surface of the substrate particles; and (d) gas diffusion layers disposed over each of the anode and cathode electrocatalyst layers. When operating in a direct methanol fuel cell with an active area of 25 cm2 and under conditions including a supply of IM methanol to the anode electrocatalyst layer at a rate of 3 ml per minute, a supply of air to the cathode electrocatalyst layer at a rate of 400 seem, the membrane electrode assembly provides an output voltage of 0.4 volt and a temperature of 7OoC, provides a power output in excess of 120 mW/cm2 and a normalized performance in excess of 34 mW/mgPt.
