Conventional synthesis of ceramic oxide compositions is time consuming and consequently limits the compositions that can be studied. A way round this is the use of combinatorial methods to explore much wider ranges of compositions. Using an inkjet based robot system, LUSI (London University Search Instrument) combinatorial arrays of ceramic dot samples can be produced. The first part of the programme consists of the characterisation of a printed array of La0.8Sr0.2CoO3-delta to ensure the reproducibility and quality of the ceramic dots and suitability for isotopic exchange experiments. Simulation of the oxygen exchange with a ceramic dot sample to predict the distribution of oxygen within the dot has also been performed. (c) 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.