A Ni-yttria-stabilized zirconia (YSZ) anode and a Cu-CeO2/Ni-YSZ multi-layer anode have been fabricated for use in anode-supported Solid Oxide Fuel Cells (SOFCs), and their performances and stabilities in H-2-CO syngas have been studied at 750 degrees C. A high CO content has been found to cause carbon deposition and crack formation in the Ni-YSZ anode after long-term operation, but the Cu-CeO2 catalyst layer on the Ni-YSZ anode surface improves its stability in syngas with high CO content by facilitating the water gas shift reaction. The optimized single cell has run in syngas with a composition of 48.5%H-2-48.5%C0-3%H2O for 460 h without obvious degradation of its performance, however, its performance decreases after 630 h due to carbon deposition in the anode functional layer and subsequent crack formation on the anode and electrolyte. (C) 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.