Cobaltite based perovskites, such as Sm0.5Sr0.5CoO3-δ (SSC), are attractive solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) cathodes due to their high electrochemical activity and electrical conductivity. To obtain higher fuel cell performance with smaller particles, nano-sized SSC powders were synthesized by a complex method with/without carbon black, HB170. However, during synthesis, carbon black reacted with Sr, and unfortunately formed SrCO3. To obtain pure perovskite SSC, a calcination temperature of 900 ℃ is needed. At 680 oC, an SOFC with SSC (calcined at 700 ℃ and synthesized without HB170) exhibited a higher fuel cell performance, of 0.68W·cm.2, than that with SSCHB (calcined at 900 ℃ and synthesized with HB170), of 0.58W·cm^(-2). Adding GDC for composite cathode is more effective in SSCHB porous cathodes than in SSC porous cathodes. At 680 ℃, the composite cathode of SSCHB6-GDC4 exhibited the highest maximum power density of 0.72W·cm^(-2) which results from the combined effects of lowered charge transfer polarization
and mass transfer polarization. To obtain higher fuel cell performance, optimum composition and processes are necessary.