A porous NiO-YSZ substrate for anode-supported solid oxide fuel cells has been prepared by gelcasting of NiO-YSZ powders using urea-formaldehyde monomers, followed by humidity-controlled drying, binder removal, and sintering of the gelled bodies. The gelled bodies had sufficient strength to remove even 2-mm-thick samples from the mold immediately after gelation. A gelcast NiO-YSZ sample sintered at 1450 degrees C for 2 h showed an open porosity of similar to 53 vol%, and the porosity increased to similar to 58% upon reduction with hydrogen. Pore sizes measured on the scanning electron microscopy photomicrograph of NiO-YSZ and Ni-YSZ cermet substrates are in the range of 2-5 mu m. Urea-formaldehyde polymer, present in a high amount (similar to 13 wt%) in the gelcast body, acts as a template for pores.