COxMg3-x/Al hydrotalcite-like compounds (where x = 0.0, 0.5, 1.0, 1.5, 2.0, 2.5, 3.0) were synthesized by the coprecipitation method and characterized by the XRD and TGA techniques. Incorporation of Co for x = 0.0-3.0 gradually decreased the transformation temperature of the hydrotalcites to the corresponding oxides from 444 to 246 degrees C and also decreased the surface area from 162.7 to 21.6 m(2)/g upon calcination at 800 degrees C for 4 h in air. The resultant oxide was generally composed of a poor MgO phase and a spinel phase, with more spinel phase at higher Co incorporation. The derived oxides were tested as the storage/reduction catalysts for NOx adsorption/desorption. The storage capacity for NOx was highly dependent on the catalyst composition and storage temperature. In general, more NOx was stored at lower temperature (100 degrees C) than that at higher temperature (300 degrees C, and tertiary catalysts (x = 0.5-2.5) stored more NOx than binary catalyst (x = 0.0 or 3.0). The catalytic conversion of NO to NO2 and the catalytic decomposition of NOx were observed on the tertiary catalysts during NOx adsorption at 300 degrees C, which was highly related to the loading of cobalt. The reducibility of catalysts was determined by TPR experiments, and the reduction of cobalt cations started at 150-200 degrees C in H-2. In situ IR spectra of catalysts adsorbing NOx revealed that the major NOx species formed on the catalysts were various kinds of nitrites and nitrates, together with some forms of dimers, such as N2O22- and N2O4 (or NO+NO3-). The storage/reduction mechanism and the function of Co in the mixed oxides are proposed and discussed on the basis of these observations.