In this work, simulated cathode/interconnect structures were used to investigate the effects of different contact materials on the contact resistance between a strontium doped lanthanum ferrite cathode and a Crofer22 APU interconnect. Among the materials studied, Pt, which has a prohibitive cost for the application, demonstrated the best performance as a contact paste. For the relatively cost-effective perovskites, the contact ASR was found to depend on their electrical conductivity, scale growth on the metallic interconnect, and interactions between the contact material and the metallic interconnect or particularly the scale grown on the interconnect. Manganites appeared to promote manganese-containing spinel interlayer formation that helped minimize the increase of contact ASR. Chromium from the interconnects reacted with strontium in the perovskites to form SrCrO4. An improved performance was achieved by application of a thermally grown (Mn,Co)(3)O-4 spinel protection layer on Crofer22 APU that dramatically minimized the contact resistance between the cathodes and interconnects. (c) 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.