Abstract The paper discusses the effects of homogeneous-heterogeneous reactions on stagnation-point flow of a nanofluid over a stretching or shrinking sheet. The model presented describes mass transfer in copper-water and silver-water nanofluids. The governing system of equations is solved numerically, and the study shows that dual solutions exist for certain suction/injection, stretching/shrinking and magnetic parameter values. Comparison of the numerical results is made with previously published results for special cases.