Nickel anodes were deposited on hollow fibre yttria-stabilised zirconia (YSZ) electrolyte substrates for use in solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs). The hollow fibres are characterised by porous external and internal surfaces supported by a central gas-tight layer (300 pm total wall thickness and 1.6 mm external diameter). The YSZ hollow fibres were prepared by a phase inversion technique followed by high temperature sintering in the range 1200 to 1400 degrees C. Ni anodes were deposited on the internal surface by electroless plating involving an initial catalyst deposition step with PdCl2 followed by Ni plating (with a NiSO4, NaH2PO2 and sodium succinate based solution at 70 degrees C). Fabrication and nickel deposition parameters (nature of solvents, air gap, temperature, electroless bath composition) and heat treatments in oxidising/ reducing environments were investigated in order to improve anode and electrolyte microstructure and fuel cell performance. A parallel study of the effect of YSZ sintering temperature, which influences electrolyte porosity, on electrolyte/anode microstructure was performed on mainly dense discs (2.3 mm thick and 15 mm diameter). Complete cells were tested with both disc and hollow fibre design after a La0.2Sr0.8Co0.8Fe0.2O3-delta (LSCF) cathode was deposited by slurry coating and co-fired at 1200 degrees C. Anodes prepared by Ni electroless plating on YSZ electrolytes (discs and hollow fibres) sintered at lower temperature (1000-1200 degrees C) benefited from a greater Ni penetration compared to electrolytes sintered at 1400 degrees C. Further increases in anode porosity and performance were achieved by anode oxidation in air at 1200-1400 degrees C, followed by reduction in H-2 at 800 degrees C. (C) 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.