The fabrication of efficient, alkaline-stable and nonprecious electrocatalysts for the oxygen evolution reaction is highly needed; however, it is a challenging task. Herein, we report a noble metal-free advanced catalyst, i.e. the chemically reduced mixed transition metal oxide CuO–Co3O4 composite, with outstanding oxygen evolution reaction activity in alkaline media. Sodium borohydride (NaBH4) was used as a reducing agent for the mixed transition metal oxide CuO–Co3O4. The chemically reduced composite carried mixed valence states of Cu and Co, which played a dynamic role in driving an excellent oxygen evolution reaction process. The X-ray photo-electron spectroscopy (XPS) study confirmed high density of active sites in the treated sample with a large number of oxygen vacancies. The developed electrocatalyst showed the lowest overpotential of 144.5 mV vs. the reversible hydrogen electrode (RHE) to …