Vanadiumoxide (VOx) nanostructures, synthesized by hydrothermal treatment using dodecylamine as template, were evaluated for the selective catalytic reduction of NOx with ammonia (NH3-SCR). The effect of solvent type in the reaction mixture (EtOH/(EtOH + H2O)) and time of hydrolysis was studied. The obtained materials were characterized by XRD, SEM, TEM and BET. The VOx nanorods (80-120 nm diameter and 1-4 mu m length) were synthesized in 25 vol% EtOH/(EtOH + H2O) and the open-ended multiwalled VOx nanotube (50-100 nm inner diameter, 110-180 nm outer diameter and 0.5-2 mu m length) synthesized in 50 vol% EtOH/(EtOH + H2O). VOx nanotubes performed the superior NH3-SCR activity under a gas hourly space velocity of 12,000 h(-1) at low temperature of 250 degrees C (NOx conversion of 89% & N-2 selectivity of 100%), while most of the developed Vanadia base catalysts are active at high temperature (>350 degrees C). The superior NH3-SCR activity of VOx nanotubes at low temperature is related to nanocrystalline structure, special nanotube morphology as well as high specific surface area. (C) 2015 The Chemical Industry and Engineering Society of China, and Chemical Industry Press. All rights reserved.