Effective FeCo alloy core nitrogen-doped carbon shell nanoparticles anchored on carbon nanotubes (CNTs) were synthesized through the pyrolysis of a metal-organic framework (Fe/Co) with CNTs and were investigated for the first time as bifunctional electrocatalysts for oxygen reduction/evolution reactions. The catalyst pyrolyzed at 600 degrees C affords excellent bifunctional catalytic activity with a Delta E(E-OER@10 mA cm(-2)-E-ORR@-1 mA cm(-2)) gap of 0.79 V in an alkaline electrolyte, a first discharge/charge specific capacity of more than 5000 mA g(cat)(-1) at a constant current density of 100 mA g(cat)(-1) in Li-O-2 battery. (C) 2016 Hydrogen Energy Publications LLC. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.