  Based on the effective Lagrangian approach, the $ J/\psi \to p \bar{p} \phi$
decay is studied in an isobar resonance model with the assumption that the
$\phi$-meson is produced from intermediate nucleon resonances. The
contributions from the $N^*_{1/2^-}(1535)$, $N^*_{3/2^+}(1900)$,
$N^*_{1/2^-}(2090)$ and $N^*_{1/2^+}(2100)$ states are considered. In terms of
the coupling constants $g^{2}_{\phi N N^{*}}$ and $g^{2}_{\phi N N^{*}}$
extracted from the data of the partial decay widths of the $N^*$s to the $N\pi$
channel, the reaction cross section of the $\pi^{-}p\rightarrow n\phi$ process
and the partial decay widths of the $J/\psi\rightarrow p\bar{p}\eta$ and
$J/\psi\rightarrow p\bar{n}\pi^{-}$ processes, respectively, the invariant mass
spectrum and the Dalitz plot for $ J/\psi \to p \bar{p} \phi$ are predicted. It
is shown that there are two types of results. In the type I case, a large peak
structure around 2.09GeV implies that a considerable mount of $N\phi$ or
$qqqs\bar s$ component may exist in the narrow-width $N^*_{1/2^-}(2090)$ state,
but for the wide-width $N^*_{1/2^+}(2100)$ state, it has little $qqqs\bar s$
component. In the type II case, a small peak around 2.11GeV may only indicate
the existence of a certain mount of $p\phi$ or $qqqs\bar s$ component in the
narrow-width $N^*_{1/2^+}(2100)$ state, but no information for the wide-width
$N^*_{1/2^-}(2090)$ state. Further BESIII data with high statistics would help
us to distinguish the strange structures of these $N^*$s.
