In this feature article, Cu0.31Ni0.69O nanoparticles were assembled on reduced graphene nanosheets (Cu0.31Ni0.69O/rGO) by a simple hydrothermal method. The structural characterizations confirm that the synthesized nanoparticles with an average size around 9 nm are densely and uniformly assembled on the reduced graphene oxide (rGO) nanosheets. The electrochemical measurements demonstrate that the as-synthesized Cu0.31Ni0.69O/rGO catalyst exhibits excellent catalytic performance for oxygen reduction reaction with high cathodic current density (2.08 x 10(-4) mA/cm(2)), positive onset potential (-0.21 V), low H2O2 yielding rate (less than 2.5%) and long-term running stability. The rotating disk and rotating ring-disk electrode measurements proved that the oxygen reduction reaction occurs on Cu0.31Ni0.69O/rGO through a high efficient four-electron pathway. The Cu0.31Ni0.69O/ rGO nanoparticles shows great potential to be promising noble metal-free catalyst for cathodes of alkaline fuel cells. (C) 2019 Hydrogen Energy Publications LLC. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.