A silica-pillared layered niobate (Si-Nb3O8) has been prepared by intercalating layered niobate with NH2(CH2)(3)Si(OEt)(3). The results of XRD and BET measurement showed that the obtained product was a porous material with a high specific surface area and high thermal stability, and its layered structure remained unchanged after treatment with 5 vol% water vapor at 500degreesC for 3 h. Using Si-Nb3O8 as support, a 2 wt% Cu/Si-Nb3O8 catalyst was prepared by impregnation of Cu(NO3)(2) solution and the catalytic reduction of NO by CO was examined. The results showed that the catalyst had a good activity and selectivity, and the pretreatment of 5 vol% water vapor could obviously improve the conversion of NO reduction, while the selectivity of NO to N-2 almost kept unchanged.