Decomposition of gaseous toluene and oxidation of CO on thermally excited titanium dioxide (TiO2)/silica (SiO2) composite material were investigated using a simple flow system. TiO2/SiO2 composite bead was superior to TiO2 (anatase) or TiO2/alumina in the thermally excited activation for toluene decomposition. The composite effect of TiO2/SiO2. bead was recognized in our study. ESR studies showed the existence of Ti3+ in the material. This means that oxygen vacancy would be generated by thermally excitation of TiO2 in the composite material. (C) 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.