A facile, stabilizing-molecules-free strategy has been utilized for anchoring Au-Pd alloy nanoparticles onto the flat surface of two-dimensional (2D) reduced graphene oxide (RGO) nanosheets. Formation of Au-Pd nanoalloys and loading onto the RGO are accomplished simultaneously. The Au-Pd/reduced graphene oxide (Au-Pd/RGO) exhibits higher catalytic activity than both Au/RGO and Pd/RGO, prepared by the same approach toward selective oxidation of benzyl alcohol and selective reduction of nitroaromatics, the catalytic activity order can be in good agreement with the noble metal particles size distribution of the Au, Pd and Au-Pd/RGO. (C) 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.