Tubular electrolyte-supporting solid oxide fuel cells directly operated on carbon fuel were fabricated and tested. Gadolinia doped ceria (GDC) mixed with silver was used as the anode to catalyze the electrochemical oxidation of CO while Fe-based catalyst was loaded on the carbon fuel to enhance the Boudouard reaction. The performance was significantly improved, with a maximum power density of 45 mW cm(-2), 10 times higher than that of the cell without any catalyst. Impedance measurements showed that the polarization resistance was decreased by tens of times through applying catalysts in the cell. An operation life of 10 h was observed at a constant current of 70 mA. The mechanism of the cell reaction was analyzed. (C) 2010 Professor T. Nejat Veziroglu. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.