This study investigated the performance of nano spinel nest-like oxygen-deficient Cu1.5Mn1.5O4 doping activated carbon (AC) as air cathode in microbial fuel cell (MFC). The Cu1.5Mn1.5O4 was synthesized via hydrothermal method and subsequent annealed. The maximum power density (MPD) of MFC with oxygen-deficient Cu1.5Mn1.5O4 modified cathode was 1928 +/- 18 mW m(-2), which was 1.53 times higher than the bare cathode. The electrochemical studies showed that Cu1.5Mn1.5O4 doping AC exhibited higher kinetic activity and lower resistance. The mechanism of oxygen reduction for the catalyst was a four electron pathway. The oxygen deficient of Cu1.5Mn1.5O4 played an important role in catalytic activity. So Cu1.5Mn1.5O4 would be an excellent promising catalyst for ORR in MFC. (C) 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.