Cubically　crystallized　mesoporous　nickel　oxide　nanorods　and　nanocubes　were　fabricated　by　using　a　facile　microemulsion　strategy　with　cetyltrimethylammonium　bromide　(CTAB)　or　sodium　dodecyl　sulfate　(SDS)　as　surfactant.　Physicochemical　properties　of　the　materials　were　characterized　by　means　of　a　number　of　analytical　techniques,　and　their　catalytic　activities　were　evaluated　for　the　combustion　of　toluene.　It　was　shown　that　the　morphology　of　the　samples　strongly　depended　on　the　nature　of　surfactant:　when　CTAB　was　used,　the　product　was　mesoporous　NiO　nanorods;　when　SDS　was　adopted,　mesoporous　NiO　nanocubes　were　obtained.　The　NiO-CTAB-2　sample　derived　with　a　Ni2+/CTAB　molar　ratio　of　0.364　displayed　the　highest　surface　area　(ca.　46　m(2)/g)　and　the　best　low-temperature　reducibility.　A　clear　correlation　of　oxygen　adspecies　concentration　or　low-temperature　reducibility　with　catalytic　performance　was　observed.　The　high　catalytic　activity　(T-50%=　256　degrees　C　and　T-90%=　278　degrees　C　at　SV　=　20,000　mL/(g　h))　for　toluene　combustion　of　NiO-CTAB-2　was　related　to　its　larger　surface　area,　higher　oxygen　adspecies　concentration,　and　better　low-temperature　reducibility.　(C)　2013　Elsevier　B.V.　All　rights　reserved.