Production of high surface area mayenite (C12A7) via an assisted solution combustion synthesis (SCS) toward catalytic soot oxidation

•Non-porous mayenite was directly obtained after combustion reaction using a fuels mixture.•Calcination temperature for mayenite formation was reduced from 1300 °C to 250 °C.•Porous mayenite was obtained from 275 °C by an assisted solution combustion method.•Mayenite crystallinity and texture were tuned by varying the calcination temperature.•Porous mayenite exhibited an enhanced catalytic performance in the soot oxidation.