Functionally graded electrodes have been fabricated from members of the (LaNiO3)nLaO Ruddlesden-Popper family. These consist of a thin compact layer of La2NiO4 + δ deposited on the electrolyte, topped by a thicker porous La2NiO4 + δ + La4Ni310 - δ composite layer, completed by a thin porous La4Ni3O10 - δ layer acting as a current collector. The microstructure and electrochemical role of these layers are discussed in detail. It was found that using a 50:50 wt.% mix in the composite layer gave the best performance; ASRs at 500, 550, 600, 650, and 700 C were 15.6, 5.53, 2.29, 1.06 and 0.53 Ω cm2 respectively. This represents high performance for this class of material, particularly notable at the lower-end of the temperature range. As such this grading process is an attractive proposition for further research towards lowering the operating temperature of SOFCs. © 2013 Elsevier B.V.