NOVELTY - A nanocomposite particle comprises: a nanoparticle having a surface comprising a silver salt, and at least one region of a first noble metal on the surface, where if the first noble metal is gold, there is additionally at least one region of a second noble metal on the surface. The second noble metal is different to the first noble metal.    USE - In nanocomposite material, which is useful in electrode for methanol oxidation (claimed). The metal-nanocomposite materials are applied as selective catalysts for fuel cell reactions in micro-fuel cell. The semiconductor-metal nanocomposites are also be used as catalysts beyond fuel cell applications, e.g. photocatalysis and organic synthesis.    ADVANTAGE - The method provides a superior route for synthesizing semiconductor-noble metal nanocomposites with improved methanol oxidation reaction (MOR) activity through the electron coupling among the different domains of the hybrid materials.    DETAILED DESCRIPTION - INDEPENDENT CLAIMS are included for the following:    (1) a nanocomposite material comprising the nanocomposite particles;    (2) a process (P1) for making the nanocomposite material involving: combining a heated aqueous mixture comprising the nanoparticles and a reducing agent with a compound or complex of the first noble metal; and maintaining the resulting reaction mixture at an elevated temperature for sufficient time to form at least one region of the first noble metal on the surface of the nanoparticles thus producing an aqueous dispersion of the nanocomposite material;    (3) a method for adsorbing a nanocomposite material onto a particulate carbon, involving: combining a dispersion of the nanocomposite material in a solvent (s1) with the particulate carbon and agitating the resulting mixture for sufficient time to adsorb the nanocomposite material onto the surface of the particulate carbon; and    (4) an electrode comprising: a glassy carbon electrode; and a coating composition comprising the nanocomposite material adsorbed onto a particulate carbon, where the coating composition is disposed on the surface of the glassy carbon electrode.