Rod and ellipsoid shaped CeO2 nanostructures were prepared using self-assemblies of amine surfactants as templates through the decomposition of cerium carbonate hydroxide. The morphologies of the products were greatly influenced by amine surfactants with different alkyl chain lengths. Different shaped CeO2 nanostructures supported CuO (CuO/CeO2) catalysts were prepared by a conventional impregnation method. CuO/CeO2 nanorods showed high reducibility at lower temperature, larger amount of oxygen species from H2-TPR and possessed larger external surface area and mesopore volume from N2 adsorption as compared with CuO/CeO2 with uncontrolled morphology. These catalysts showed effective soot combustion at lower temperature under tight contact condition using carbon black (CB) as a model of soot particle, as compared with CuO/CeO2 with uncontrolled morphology. Larger external surface area and mesopore volume of CuO/CeO2 catalysts contributed to the improved physical contact condition between CeO2 catalysts and aggregated CBs. Surface reducibility and the improved physical contact condition affected greatly their catalytic activity for soot combustion. (C) 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.