A　novel　La-Co-O-C　(LC-C)　composites　were　prepared　via　a　facile　co-hydrothermal　route　with　oxides　and　glycerol　and　further　optimized　for　methane　catalytic　activity　and　thermal　stability　via　component　regulation.　It　was　demonstrated　that　Co3O4　phase　was　the　main　component　in　regulation.　The　combined　results　of　X-ray　photoelectron　spectroscopy　(XPS),　temperature-programmed　desorption　of　oxygen　(O-2-TPD),　temperature-programmed　reduction　of　hydrogen　(H-2-TPR),　temperature-programmed　desorption　of　ammonia/carbon　dioxide　(NH3/CO2-TPD)　revealed　that　component　regulation　led　to　more　oxygen　vacancies　and　exposure　of　surface　Co2+,　lower　surface　basicity　and　optimized　acidity,　which　were　beneficial　for　adsorption　of　active　oxygen　species　and　activation　of　methane　molecules,　resulting　in　the　excellent　catalytic　oxidation　performance.　Especially,　the　(3.5)LC-C　(3.5　is　Co-to-La　molar　ratio)　showed　the　optimum　activity　and　the　T-50　and　T-90　(the　temperature　at　which　the　CH4　conversion　rate　was　50%　and　90%,　respectively)　were　318　and　367　degrees　C,　respectively.　Using　theoretical　calculations　and　in　situ　diffuse　reflection　infrared　Fourier　transform　spectroscopy　characterization,　it　was　also　found　that　the　catalytic　mechanism　changes　from　the　＂Rideal-Eley＂　mechanism　to　the　＂Two-term＂　mechanism　depending　on　the　temperature　windows　in　which　the　reaction　takes　place.　Besides,　the　use　of　the　＂Flynn-Wall-Ozawa＂　model　in　thermoanalytical　kinetics　revealed　that　component　regulation　simultaneously　optimized　the　decomposition　activation　energy,　further　expanding　the　application　scope　of　carbon-containing　composites.　(C)　2022　The　Research　Center　for　Eco-Environmental　Sciences,　Chinese　Academy　of　Sciences.　Published　by　Elsevier　B.V.