An electrode catalyst for a fuel cell includes a conductive support, and catalytic
particles loaded on the conductive support. The catalytic particles include platinum
and a base metal being on the lower end of the electrochemical series with respect
to platinum. The number of the atoms of the base metal, forming metallic oxides
without alloying with the platinum, is less than 5 atomic % of the number of the
atoms of the platinum on a surface of the catalytic particles. The electrode catalyst
is produced by loading the platinum and base metal on the conductive support, alloying
the platinum and base metal thereon by a heat treatment, thereby making the catalytic
particles, and removing metallic oxides from a surface of the catalytic particles.
The electrode catalyst is less expensive comparatively, exhibits high catalytic
activities, and hardly lowers the battery performance of fuel cells.
