A proposal that high solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) anode performance can be achieved by using a very thin, catalytically active functional layer, with a noncatalytic conduction layer, has been tested. An anode impedance of 0.26 Omega cm(2) was obtained at 973 K in humidified H-2 using a Ag-paste conduction layer and a 12 mu m thick functional layer made from 1 wt% Pd and 40 wt% ceria in yttria-stabilized zirconia. Replacing the Ag paste with a 100 mu m layer of porous La0.3Sr0.7TiO3 (LST) had minimal effect on cell performance. The anode concept is flexible and should allow various materials to be used in the functional and the current-collector layers. (c) 2007 The Electrochemical Society.