A surface and catalytic investigation of ceria by laser desorption ionization mass spectrometry

Gd$_{0.1}$Ti$_{0.1}$Zr$_{0.1}$Ce$_{0.7}$O$_2$ solid solution with crystallite size of 10 nm, specific surface area of 85 m$^2$ and pore size of 2-6 nm has been prepared by a simple coprecipitation method with sonication and characterized by several methods. Among the characterization methods was laser desorption ionization-time of flight mass spectrometry (LDI-TOF) which was used to characterize the surface of the catalyst (fresh and used in CO oxidation) and thereby determine the catalytic sites (active sites of oxidation).