In order to mimic the operation of the air-cathode in a direct borohydride alkaline fuel cell, we studied the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) in sodium hydroxide solution containing traces of borohydride. The activity of several ORR electrocatalysts, namely carbon-supported platinum, gold, silver and manganese oxide, has been investigated using slow-scan linear voltammetry. Whereas platinum is one of the best electrocatalyst in pure sodium hydroxide, none of the classical electrocatalysts: gold, silver and platinum, exhibit sufficient selectivity towards the ORR. When BH4- is present in solution, the potential taken by electrodes using such materials is a mixed, potential, following the competition between the ORR and the NaBH4 hydrolysis and/or oxidation. Conversely, manganese oxide-based electrocatalysts exhibit very interesting behaviour towards the ORR in alkaline medium; while their intrinsic ORR activity in pure sodium hydroxide is quite as good as that for platinum, they still display a remarkable selectivity for this reaction when the electrolyte contains traces of sodium borohydride. As a result, carbon-supported manganese oxide-based nanoparticles seem very interesting materials to be used in direct borohydride fuel cell. (c) 2006 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.