The segregation of strontium-containing compounds is known to hinder the reactivity of LSCO electrodes. The temperature-dependent segregation of strontium-containing species has been studied by means of XPS, SEM and XRD. Such surface species dissolve almost quantitatively upon immersion in water, leaving cobalt oxide, the active site of the reaction, free. The surface composition-performance of different electrodes has been tested and revealed that a synthesis temperature of 550 degrees Celsius allows to get the best material.