Mono-dispersed cubic CeO2 nanoparticles have been synthesized using a surfactant-assisted method with laurylamine hydrochloride and cerium alkoxide modified with acetylacetone in an aqueous solution system. The prepared cubic CeO2 nanoparticles had a highly crystallized structure at 353 K and formed rod-like structures by calcination at 673 K after freeze-drying the CeO2 gel. We discovered a clear potential to make 1D, 2D or 3D CeO2-materials with a well-controlled characteristic length and shape by assembling cubic-shaped CeO2 nanoparticle building blocks. CeO2-TiO2 composite nanostructures have also been synthesized by changing the mole ratio of cerium alkoxide/titanium alkoxides. By utilizing the redox characteristic of CeO2, CeO2 nanoparticles and CeO2-TiO2 composite nanostructures after calcination, showed reaction activity toward the oxidization of I- to I-2, due to the Lewis acid sites available on the CeO2-TiO2 nanostructure. The activity of the CeO2-TiO2 composite nanostructure reached a maximum at CeBu/TIPT = 75/25, with a calcination temperature at 623 K. (c) 2007 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.