Sr　doping　is　a　common　strategy　to　enhance　the　electrocatalytic　activity　of　perovskite　cathode　materials　of　solid　oxide　fuel　cells　(SOFCs),　but　the　tendency　of　Sr　surface　segregation,　chemical　incompatibility　with　yttria-stabilized　zirconia　(YSZ)　and　interaction　with　volatile　contaminants　such　as　chromium　in　SOFC　stacks　lead　to　a　loss　of　long-term　cell　performance.　Herein,　a　Sr-free　and　Pd-doped　La0.95Co0.19Fe0.76Pd0.05O3-δ　(LCFPd)　cathode　is　directly　assembled　on　a　barrier-layer-free　YSZ　electrolyte　cell　without　conventional　high　temperature　pre-sintering.　The　cell　with　the　directly　assembled　LCFPd-GDC　(gadolinium-doped　ceria)　composite　cathode　exhibits　a　peak　power　density　of　1035　mW　cm−　2　and　excellent　operation　stability　at　750　°C　for　200　h.　Cathodic　polarization　significantly　enhances　the　electrode/electrolyte　interface　contact,　indicated　by　the　substantial　decrease　of　cell　ohmic　resistance　from　0.28　Ω　cm2　to　0.14　Ω　cm2　after　polarization　at　500　mA　cm−　2　and　750　°C　for　120　h.　Detailed　elemental　analysis　indicates　that　doped　Pd　could　be　segregated　on　the　electrode　surface　under　fuel　cell　operation　conditions,　which　significantly　enhances　the　electrocatalytic　activity　for　the　O2　reduction　reaction.　This　study　provides　new　strategy　to　develop　cobaltite　based　perovskite　materials　directly　on　YSZ　electrolyte.　©　2017　Elsevier　B.V.