LaNi͑Fe͒O 3 ͑LNF͒ is one of the promising cathode materials for intermediate-temperature solid oxide fuel cells ͑SOFCs͒. However, LNF is more reactive with ZrO 2 -based electrolyte than conventional La͑Sr͒MnO 3 in the sintering temperature region. In this paper, we examine the relationships among LNF sintering characteristics, reactivity, and cell performance to investigate the potential of LNF. We show that the current-voltage characteristics of cells using LNF as the cathode are drastically improved by preliminary loading at a very high current density. The cathodic overvoltage became one order of magnitude smaller after the preliminary loading, and the cells generated the maximum power density of 1.56 W/cm 2 at 800°C. Solid oxide fuel cells ͑SOFCs͒ operating at intermediate temperatures are very attractive because they allow the use of metal alloys for interconnections and thereby reduce fabrication cost. However, if one adopts conventional materials and the conventional cell production process for intermediate-temperature SOFCs, both the ionic conductivity of the electrolyte and electrochemical activity of the electrodes decreases, which results in lower electrical efficiency. To solve this problem, the use of high ion conductive electrolyte materials, such as Zr͑Sc͒O 2 , Ce͑Sm͒O 2 , La͑Sr͒Ga͑Mg͒O 3 , and electrochemical active cathode materials, such as La͑Sr͒CoO 3 , Sm͑Sr͒CoO 3 , La͑Sr͒FeO 3 , LaNi͑Fe͒O 3 has been proposed. 1-6 In addition, reducing electrolyte thickness and introducing an electrochemical active layer at the electrolyte and electrode interface have also been proposed. 7,8 To reduce electrolyte resistance, we have applied Scandia-and alumina-stabilized zirconia ͑SASZ͒, which has high ionic conductivity, to the electrolyte, 9 and investigated anode-supported cells with a thin electrolyte. 10 Among the many cathode materials having high electrochemical activity, LaNi͑Fe͒O 3 ͑LNF͒ has high electronic conductivity and a thermal expansion coefficient that matches that of SASZ. 11 Therefore, we have been trying to apply LNF to SASZ electrolyte. Generally, electrodes should be sintered at high temperature and this can be done as long as an appropriate gas channel in the electrode is secured. Sintering at high temperature is for good adhesion with electrolyte in order to obtain a long three-phase boundary and for good electrical connection among particles of electrode material. However, LNF reacts with SASZ electrolyte in the LNF sintering temperature region and forms a highly resistant La 2 Zr 2 O 7 layer at the LNF/SASZ interface. 12 In other words, we must overcome the trade-off relationship between the adhesion of LNF to SASZ and the reaction between them to obtain a good performance in the LNF/SASZ system.To avoid the reaction of cathode materials and doped ZrO 2 electrolytes, cells with an interlayer between the electrode and electrolyte have been proposed. 13,14 However, this requires an additional complicated fabrication process, which results in higher cost. In this paper, with the aim of s...