This study focuses on investigating the effect of ignition temperature for the combustion synthesis (CS) on the selective catalytic reduction of NOx with NH3 over Ti0.9Ce0.05V0.05O2-delta nanocomposites serial catalysts prepared by the solution combustion method. Ti0.9Ce0.05V0.05O2-delta-350 degrees C showed the best SCR activity and N-2 selectivity in a broad temperature window of 150-400 degrees C. in which more than 83% NOx was reduced with the superior N-2 selectivity above 95%. The influence of the ignition temperature for CS on the physical and morphological properties, the crystalline phase, the microstructure, the redox behavior, the oxidation state, the reactants adsorption capability, and the evolution of the surface nitrate and acid sites after the adsorption of NOx and NH3 was extensively investigated in detail using comprehensive characterization techniques including N-2 physisorption, XRD, SEM, TEM, FTIR. EPR, and XPS. The increase of the ignition temperature, the decrease of the specific surface area, the total desorption pore volume, the surface fractal dimension, and the concentration of the chemisorbed oxygen, and the increase of the average pore diameter and the particle size, which may be the main reasons for the decline of the NOx removal efficiency and the N-2 selectivity. In addition, the NOx/NH3-TPD results suggest that the Ti0.9Ce0.05V0.05O2-delta catalysts prepared at lower ignition temperatures could provide more chemisorption NOx and NH3 species, and simultaneously enhance the activation of both species that result in the improvement of the SCR activity. Furthermore, the in situ DRIFTS results indicate that the active monodentate nitrate and bridging nitrate species come from the NOx adsorption and that the ionic NH4+ bound to the BrOnsted acid sites are active species and essential for the SCR process. The increase of the ignition temperature decreases the key surface nitrate species and acid sites, and thus the relevant NH3-SCR activity and selectivity. (C) 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.