X-ray diffraction and micro-Raman scattering have been used to characterize the effects of glycine-to-nitrate (GIN) and zirconium-to-cerium (Zr/Ce) molar ratios on structural properties of proton-conducting Ba(Zr0.8-xCexY0.2)O-2.9 (BZCY) ceramic powders fabricated by using the glycine-nitrate combustion method. Particle sizes of as-synthesized and calcined BZCY powders are estimated by using the Scherrer's formula, and are sensitive to G/N and Zr/Ce ratios. A simple cubic perovskite phase is observed for calcined Ba(Zr0.7Ce0.1Y0.2)O-2.9 powders fabricated with G/N ratios of 1/3-3/4. Calcined BZCY (x=0.0-0.8) powders fabricated with G/N = 1/2 exhibit a single-phase structure and a structural transformation from cubic to possibly rhombohedral for Zr/Ce <= 2/6. Particle sizes of as-synthesized and calcined BZCY (x = 0.0-0.8) powders fabricated with G/N= 1/2 vary in the ranges of 5-15 and 34-42 nm, respectively. In-situ temperature-dependent linear shrinkage measurement reveals that smaller-particle BZCY powder can reach densification at a considerable lower temperature. (C) 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.