A novel perovskite material, Ce0.8Sm0.2Fe0.9Ir0.03Co0.07O3-delta was synthesized using a sol-gel technique. The materials were calcined at temperatures of 800 degrees C, 900 degrees C, and 1000 degrees C and then characterized using X-ray diffraction, Raman and infrared spectroscopy, high resolution transmission electron microscopy and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The particle sizes and crystallite sizes increased with increasing calcination temperature and formed perovskite type materials with some separate magnetite and iridium oxide. The powders were used to assemble button cells using samarium doped ceria as the electrolyte and NiO/SDC as the anode materials. The electrochemical properties were investigated using a Fiaxell open flanges test set-up and a Nuvant (TM) Powerstat-05 potentiostat/galvanostat. The Ce0.8Sm0.2Fe0.9Ir0.03Co0.07O3-delta cathode material calcined at 1000 degrees C exhibited the most promising performance, with a maximum power density of 0.400 W/cm(2), a current density of 0.8 A/cm(2), and a corresponding area specific resistance of 0.247 Omega cm(2) at 500 degrees C. The button cells were reasonably stable over15 h. (C) 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.