Four types of pore formers: high-density polyethylene (HDPE), polyether-ether-ketone (PEEK), mesocarbon-microbead (MCMB) carbon powder, and baking flour, are processed and characterized, then incorporated with NiO-YSZ nano-agglomerate powder to produce plasma sprayed SOFC anode coatings. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) of the coating microstructure, gas permeability measurements, and porosity determinations by image analysis are used to evaluate the effectiveness of each potential pore former powder. Under the spray conditions studied, the flour and MCMB pore former powders are effective as plasma sprayed pore formers, increasing the permeability of the coatings by factors of four and two, respectively, compared to a similarly sprayed NiO-YSZ coating without pore formers. The HOPE powder is unable to survive the plasma spray process and does not contribute to the final coating porosity. The PEEK pore former, though ineffective with the current powder characteristics and spray parameters, exhibits the highest relative deposition efficiency and the most favorable thermal characteristics. (C) 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.