We investigated the optical properties of CuO-modified Sm0.5Sr0.5CoO3-delta ceramics as possible candidate materials for solar absorbing applications. Bulk composite materials were successfully prepared by a facile and cost-effective solid-state reaction method and subsequent magnetron sputtering. The solar absorbance and spectral selectivity properties were evaluated using room-temperature hemispherical reflectance spectra measured from the ultraviolet to the mid-infrared region for samples with different composition, thickness, and surface roughness. The effect of annealing at different temperatures in air or oxygen was also investigated. The experimental results showed that a composite of Sm0.5Sr0.5CoO3 and Cu (100 nm) ceramic annealed at 600 degrees C in air for 1 h had a solar absorbance comparable to that of the most advanced solar absorber materials, such as silicon carbide, with a higher spectral selectivity. Our material also exhibits better solar-selective absorption properties and higher solar selectivity (2.69) than that of smooth, unmodified Sm0.5Sr0.5CoO3 (2.07) and could potentially be used as an alternative material for spectrally selective absorber applications. (C) 2017 Published by Elsevier Ltd.