SBA-15 type silica was loaded with CoCl2 center dot 6H(2)O via using the two-solvent, impregnation and adsorption methods, then calcined to prepare a range of supported composites with varying Co-loadings. Each of the products had a blue color with intensity proportional to the Co-loading. DR UV-vis and XPS results demonstrate the presence of Co2+ in tetrahedral co-ordination. A wide variety of methods were used to characterize the Co-composites. An unexpected morphological transformation was observed in composites prepared with Co-loadings of 30 wt% or more, such that the original SBA-15 channels were no longer present. Nevertheless, all the composite materials exhibited high activity in catalyzing the liquid phase oxidation of cyclohexanol using tert-butylhydroperoxide (TBHP) as an oxidant. Some leakage of the catalytically active species into the solution was observed, implying that the catalyst is behaving as a mixed heterogeneous-homogeneous system. Thus, the high catalytic activity for these Co-composites can be attributed to high dispersion of the active sites throughout the support and/or the presence of active species in solution. (C) 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.