A uniform nanoflaky nickel oxide (NiO) array is constructed on carbon cloth via optimized conditions, and further employed as an anode in Shewanella putrefaciens (S. putrefaciens) microbial fuel cells (MFCs). Results indicate that the NiO nanoflakes/carbon cloth anode significantly improves the MFC performance in comparison to the unmodified carbon cloth, delivering about three times higher power density. This attributes to an enhanced interfacial electron transfer rate between bacteria cell and nanoflaky NiO array-modified carbon fiber and improved adhesion of bacteria cells on the modified carbon fiber for more active reaction centers. Considering the facile synthesis process, low cost and long discharging lifetime, this NiO/carbon cloth anode could be very promising to be applied for high performance, large scale MFCs. (C) 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.