As a candidate of cathode material of single-chamber solid oxide fuel cell (SC-SOFC), cobalt-free mixed ionic electronic conductor (MIEC) Nd0.5Sr0.5Fe0.8Cu0.2O3-delta (NSFCu) is synthesized by sol-gel method with ethylene diamine tetraacetic acid and citric acid as co-complexing agents. The XRD shows NSFCu is stable after CO2 treatment and chemical compatible with SDC at high temperatures. CO2-TPD (CO2-temperature programmed desorption) demonstrates both CO2 adsorption and desorption phenomenon on NSFCu surface. However, the polarization resistances (R-p) of NSFCu and SDC (10:4 in weight) composite electrodes showed no decay in 5% CO2. Single cell using N-2-O-2-CH4 mixed gas (CH4 to O-2 ratio = 1.5) as fuel shows maximum power density of 635 mW cm(-2) at 700 degrees C. These results suggest that NSFCu-SDC is a promising composite cathode material for application in single-chamber solid oxide fuel cell. (C) 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.