Phosphorus-doped (P-doped) carbon was prepared via direct pyrolysis of cellulose phosphate for efficient oxygen reduction catalyst in air-cathode of microbial fuel cells (MFCs). Air-cathodes with P-doped carbon catalysts were assembled by rolling method and their performances in MFCs were studied. A maximum power density of 1312 +/- 82 mW m(-2) was produced by air-cathode with P-doped carbon catalyst prepared at 1000 C. This result was higher than the air-cathode with Pt/C catalyst and three times as that with P-free carbon catalyst derived from pure cellulose. This study demonstrated that the I'doped carbon derived from cellulose phosphate was a cost-efficient and promising cathodic catalyst for scale-up MFCs. (c) 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.