This work reports on the development of a solvent-free method for the fabrication of a self-supported single-wall carbon nanotubes electrode, which is based on successive sedimentation of both SWCNT/surfactant and PtRu–SWCNT/surfactant suspensions followed by a thermal treatment at 130°C. The as-prepared self-supported electrode showed sufficient mechanical strength for half-cell investigation and membrane-electrodes assembly fabrication. By using a Pt catalyst loading of 1mgcm−2, the overall thickness of the gas diffusion electrode reached 95μm. Its electrochemical activity towards methanol oxidation was investigated by means of cyclic voltammetry and current–voltage polarisation measurements under half-cell and direct methanol fuel cell conditions.