Reactive ceramics are investigated for potential use in a rotary-type solar reactor. The two-step water-splitting process, which consists of O(2)-releasing (MO(oxidized) = MO(reduced)+1/2O(2)) and H(2)-generation (MO(reduced)+H(2)O(g) = MO(oxidized)+H(2)) reactions with yttria-stabilized zirconia (YSZ)-iron oxide solid solutions prepared by co-precipitation and solid-state reaction, is examined at temperatures of 1623 K for 02 release and 1273 K for H(2) generation. The YSZ-iron oxide solid solutions with a single phase are obtained at mole ratios lower than 15% and 20% of iron ions to total cations (Fe(3+), Zr(4+), Y(3+)) by co-precipitation and the solid-state reaction, respectively. The two-step water-splitting process using YSZ-iron oxide solid solutions prepared by both preparation methods are repeated successfully. The amount of O(2) gas evolved per weight of the sample (ml/g) is observed to increase with the iron content of the YSZ-iron oxide solid solution because of the high reactivity of iron ions in the solid solution. The maximum amounts of H(2) and O(2) gases evolved in the two-step water-splitting process with the YSZ-iron oxide solid solution were 0.89 and 1.2 ml/g, respectively. (c) 2008 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.