Vanadium oxides supported on -Al2O3, SiO2, TiO2, and ZrO2 were studied on their molecular structures and reactive performances for soot combustion. To investigate the effect of different alkali metals on. the structures and reactivities of supported-vanadium oxide catalysts, they were doped into the V-4/TiO2 catalyst which had the best intrinsic activity for soot combustion in the selected supported vanadium oxide catalysts. The experimental results demonstrated that the catalytic properties of these catalysts depended on the vanadium loading amount, support nature, and the presence or the absence of alkali metals. The spectroscopic analysis (FIF-IR and UV-vis) and H-2-TPR results revealed that the higher activity of alkali-promoted vanadium oxide catalysts could be related to the ability of alkali metal promoting the redox cycle of the active vanadyl species. TG results showed that adding alkali to V-m/TiO2 catalyst was beneficial to lowering their melting points. Low melting points could ensure the good surface atom migration ability, which would improve the contact between the catalyst and soot. Due to the alkali metal components promoting the redox ability and the mobility of the catalysts, alkali-modified vanadium oxide catalysts could remarkably improve their catalytic activities for soot combustion. The catalytic activity order for soot combustion followed Li > Na > K > Rb > Cs in the catalyst system of alkali-V-4/TiO2, and the reason why it followed this sequence was discussed. (c) 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.