Bimetallic PdPt alloy nanoparticles on graphene oxide (GO) have been prepared by a simple and facile chemical route, in which the reduction of metal precursors is carried out using CO as a reductant. Structural and morphological characterizations of GO/PdPt composites are performed using X-ray diffraction, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy analysis and transmission electron microscopy. It is found that PdPt bimetallic nanoparticles are successfully synthesized and uniformly attached on the graphene sheets. The electrocatalytic and electrochemical properties of GO/PdPt composites including methanol oxidation reaction (MOR), oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) and methanol tolerant oxygen reduction reaction (MTORR) are studied in HClO4 aqueous solution. A significant improvement in the electrocatalytic activities is observed by increasing the atomic ratio of Pt in PdPt bimetallic alloys compared to the freestanding Pd nanoparticles on GO. The prepared GO/PdPt composites with an (Pd:Pt) atomic ratio of 40:60 exhibits higher methanol oxidation activity, higher specific ORR activity and better tolerance to CO poisoning. The results can be attributed to the collective effects of the PdPt nanoparticles and the enhanced electron transfer of graphene. (C) 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.