Reversible solid oxide cells (RSOCs) can work for power generation by converting fuel chemical energy to electric energy as solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs) and for hydrogen production by converting excess electrical power to chemical energy as solid oxide electrolysis cells (SOECs). In this work, the possibility of using impregnated La0.8Sr0.2Co0.8Ni0.2O3-delta--Ce0.9Gd0.O-1(2-Omega) (LSCN-GDC) as oxygen electrode in RSOCs is investigated. The button cells with Ni-YSZ hydrogen electrode, YSZ electrolyte and impregnated LSCN-GDC oxygen electrode are fabricated. In the SOFC mode, cell with impregnated LSCN-GDC electrode shows an impressive power density of 1.336 W cm(-2) at 800 degrees C and the polarization resistance is 0.100 Omega cm(2) under open circuit condition, approximately the same as the value in the SOEC mode at applied current density of 0.2 A cm(-2). In the SOEC mode, the variable operating parameters are optimized to obtain the maximum hydrogen production and minimum energy consumption. The remarkable current density reaches 2.34 A cm(-2) at 1.6 V when measured at 800 degrees C with 90 vol% absolute humidity (AH). The polarization degradation behavior of LSCN-GDC oxygen electrode under electrolysis mode is analyzed in detail by estimating the three-phase boundary (TPB) change of the oxygen electrode. (C) 2016 Hydrogen Energy Publications LLC. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.