Manganese-cerium mixed oxide catalysts with different molar ratio Mn/(Mn + Ce) (0, 0.25, 0.50, 0.75 1) were prepared by citric acid method and investigated concerning their adsorption behavior, redox properties and behavior in the selective catalytic reduction of NOx by NH3. The studies based on pulse thermal analysis combined with mass spectroscopy and FT-IR spectroscopy uncovered a clear correlation between the dependence of these properties and the mixed oxide composition. Highest activity to nitrogen formation was found for catalysts with a molar ratio Mn/(Mn + Ce) of 0.25, whereas the activity was much lower for the pure constituent oxides. Measurements of adsorption uptake of reactants, NO, (NO, NO2) and NH3, and reducibility showed similar dependence on the mixed oxide composition indicating a clear correlation of these properties with catalytic activity. The adsorption studies indicated that NOx and NH3 are adsorbed on separate sites. Consecutive adsorption measurements of the reactants showed similar uptakes as separate measurements indicating that there was no interference between adsorbed reactants. Mechanistic investigations by changing the sequence of admittance of reactants (NOx, NH3) indicated that at 100-150 degrees C nitrogen formation follows an EleyRideal type mechanism, where adsorbed ammonia reacts with NO, in the gas phase, whereas adsorbed NO, showed no significant reactivity under conditions used. (c) 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.