The development of low cost and efficient oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) electrocatalysts for future renewable energy systems is still highly desired. The neutral conditions in microbial fuel cells (MFCs) create a need for neutral-stable ORR catalysts. A novel hybrid of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) decorated with copper selenide nanoparticles (CuSe NPs) was successfully prepared through a facile one-step hydrothermal process. The different mass ratios (CuSe: CNTs) of CuSe@CNTs were fabricated to investigate their ORR activity. Notably, the as-prepared CuSe@CNTs (1:1) catalyst exhibits significantly enhanced ORR activity compare to the individual CNTs and CuSe in neutral electrolyte. Moreover, higher power density of 425.9 +/- 5 mW m(-2) was achieved when the CuSe@CNTs (1:1) served as cathode material in MFCs, which ups to about 1.90 and 1.65 times than that of the CNTs (244.0 +/- 4 mW m(-2)) and CuSe (258.8 +/- 6 mW m(-2)), respectively. Such cost-effective CuSe@CNTs with high ORR performance may be a potential ORR catalyst candidate for MFCs. (C) 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.