NOVELTY - A catalyst comprises at least one substrate; and a surface coating on the substrate of at least one of the metals platinum, palladium or iridium or an alloy of two or more metals, or a combination of two or more alloys or metal layers having an increase in the surface area of 5-500 times of the corresponding surface area resulting from the basic geometric shape.    USE - The catalyst is used for a fuel cell and autocatalyst and electrode surface coating and electroplating processes for deposition of surface coating, especially in a fuel cell (claimed) especially in the applications of hand-held electronics and some medical implants.    ADVANTAGE - The catalyst provides an improved platinum surface coating and obtains an increased surface area for a given geometry and at the same time the coating is structurally strong enough to be used in applications where the platinum surface coating is subject to physical stresses. It provides a very effective method for plating on smaller substrates by retaining the same or better effectiveness compared with known plating processes.    DETAILED DESCRIPTION - INDEPENDENT CLAIMS are also included for the following:    (A) a micro fuel cell according to a fuel cell comprising the above catalyst;    (B) an autocatalyst comprising at least one catalyst;    (C) an anode (2) and/or a cathode (4) comprising a substrate where the surface coating is electroplated to the surface of the conductive substrate at a rate so that the metal particles form on the conductive substrate faster than necessary to form shiny platinum and slower than necessary to form platinum black;    (D) the production of a catalyst by electroplating a surface coating so that surface has a rough surface coating comprising electroplating the surface of a conductive substrate at a rate so that the particles are form on the conductive substrate faster than necessary to form shiny platinum and slower than necessary to form platinum black; and    (E) a process of using at least one of the above catalyst in a fuel cell or in an autocatalyst.    DESCRIPTION OF DRAWING(S) - The figure shows a three electrode electroplating cell.    Anode (2)    Cathode (4)    Electrode (10)    Electroplating cell (12)    Dispersion (18)