The ability to directly utilize hydrocarbons and other renewable liquid fuels is one of the most important issues affecting the large scale deployment of solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs). Herein we designed La0.2Sr0.7TiO3-Ni/YSZ functional gradient anode (FGA) supported SOFCs, prepared with a co-tape casting method and sintered using the field assisted sintering technique (FAST). Through SEM observations, it was confirmed that the FGA structure was achieved and well maintained after the FAST process. Distortion and delamination which usually results after conventional sintering was successfully avoided. The La0.2Sr0.7TiO3-Ni/YSZ FGA supported SOFCs showed a maximum power density of 600 mW cm(-2) at 750 degrees C, and was stable for 70 h in CH4. No carbon deposition was detected using Raman spectroscopy. These results confirm the potential coke resistance of La0.2Sr0.7TiO3-Ni/YSZ FGA supported SOFCs. Copyright (C) 2015, Hydrogen Energy Publications, LLC. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.