On the viability of chitosan-derived mesoporous carbons as supports for PtCu electrocatalysts in PEMFC

•Inexpensive N-doped mesoporous carbons were obtained from chitosan and P20 silica.•Different textures were obtained from chitosan prompting in different acids.•Synthesized PtCu crystallites 4-nm in size were dispersed on the prepared carbons.•The catalyst performance depended on the carbon mesoporosity to microporosity ratio.•The specific activities for the ORR and MOR were higher than that of commercial Pt/C.