Iron oxide nanoparticles on flat oxidic surfaces—Introducing a new model catalyst for Fischer–Tropsch catalysis

Spincoating colloidal solutions of monodisperse nanoparticles onto flat silica supports offers a facile and flexible way to produce model catalysts with well defined catalyst loading and particle size. By spincoating iron oxide (magnetite) nanoparticles with varying particle diameter we produce a model system for iron based Fischer–Tropsch catalysts. In this proof of principle study we employ a combination of surface spectroscopy (XPS) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) to investigate the changes in surface chemistry and morphology of the model catalysts upon catalyst pretreatment and exposure to syngas.