A nanocrystalline powder with a lanthanum based iron- and cobalt-containing perovskite, La0.6Sr0.4Co0.2Fe0.8O3-delta (LSCF), is investigated for solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) applications at a relatively low operating temperature (600-800 degrees C). A LSCF powder with a high surface area of 88 m(2) g(-1), which is synthesized via a complex method with using inorganic nano dispersants, is printed onto an anode supported cell as a cathode electrode. A LSCF cathode without a sintering process (in situ sintered cathode) is characterized and compared with that of a sintering process at 780 degrees C (ex situ sintered cathode). The in situ sintered SOFC shows 0.51 A cm(-2) at 0.9 V and 730 degrees C which is comparable with that of the ex situ sintered SOFC. The conventional process for SOFCs, the ex situ sintered SOFC, including a heat treatment process after printing the cathodes, is time consuming and costly. The in situ sinterable nanocrystalline LSCF cathode may be effective for making the process simple and cost effective. Copyright (C) 2011, Hydrogen Energy Publications, LLC. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.