New cobalt-based nanocomposites have been prepared by photoreduction of Co(2+) salts to generate cobalt nanoparticles deposited on carbon-based materials such as nanocyrstalline diamond and carbon felt. Spontaneous air oxidation converts the metal to Co(2)O(3) which has been tested as a water oxidation catalyst. This work demonstrates that the cobalt oxide nanostructures can be deposited on various carbon surfaces and can catalyze the four-electron oxidation of water to oxygen under anodic bias.