Chinese Journal of Catalysis ›› 2026, Vol. 89: 40-75.DOI: 10.1016/S1872-2067(26)65163-7

• Review • Previous Articles     Next Articles

Rational design of rare earth-modified Mn-based catalysts for low-temperature NH3-SCR: Mechanisms, strategies, and prospects

Yueyang Yaoa,b, Nan Zhangb, Ruiqian Jiaob, Panpan Liub, Xiangbo Fenga,*(), Dandan Mab, Jun Lib, Yu Chenb, Jian-Wen Shib,*()   

  1. aTechnological Institute of Materials & Energy Science (TIMES), Xi’an Key Laboratory of Advanced Photo-electronics Materials and Energy Conversion Device, School of Materials and New Energy, Xijing University, Xi’an 710123, Shaanxi, China
    bState Key Laboratory of Electrical Insulation and Power Equipment, Center of Nanomaterials for Renewable Energy, School of Electrical Engineering, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an 710049, Shaanxi, China
  • Received:2026-01-13 Accepted:2026-03-16 Online:2026-10-18 Published:2026-09-01
  • Contact: *E-mail:fengxiangbo@xjtu.edu.cn(X. Feng),jianwen.shi@mail.xjtu.edu.cn(J.-W. Shi).
  • About author:Xiangbo Feng (Technological Institute of Materials & Energy Science, Xijing University) received his Ph.D. degree and conducted postdoctoral research at Xi'an Jiaotong University. He currently serves as a Professor, Associate Dean at Xijing University, and holds several concurrent positions including specially-appointed researcher at Xi'an Jiaotong University. He is a (youth) editorial board member for Journal of Rare Earths and Frontiers in Thermal Engineering. His research focuses on green energy and low-carbon conversion, efficient control of atmospheric pollution, and the development of novel nanoporous catalytic materials. He has presided over multiple research projects, including grants from the National Natural Science Foundation of China. He has published over 60 SCI papers as the first or corresponding author, with 17 papers recognized as ESI Highly Cited Papers and 15 as ESI Hot Papers. He is a recipient of several awards, including the Shaanxi and Chongqing Natural Science Awards. He has been selected as a Wiley China High-Contribution Author and listed among the World's Top 2% Scientists, and was honored as a "Young Science and Technology Star" in the Shaanxi Innovation Talent Climbing Project, among multiple other talent honors.
    Jian-Wen Shi (School of Electrical Engineering, Xi‘an Jiaotong University) is a professor and doctoral supervisor at Xi’an Jiaotong University. He received his B.S. in 2000 and Ph.D degree in 2007 from China University of Petroleum (East China). He joined the faculty of the Institute of Urban Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, in 2007 as an assistant researcher, and was promoted to associate researcher in 2009. From 2010 to 2011, he conducted research as a visiting scholar at The University of Queensland (Australia). Since the end of 2013, he has been working at the School of Electrical Engineering, Xi‘an Jiaotong University, and was promoted to professor in 2022. He has been recognized as a Distinguished Teacher of Shaanxi Provincial Excellent Doctoral Dissertation and the Chief Scientist of the “Scientists + Engineers” team in the Qinchuangyuan innovation platform of Shaanxi Province. His research interests focus on energy and environmental catalysis, including the conversion of solar energy to chemical energy, conversion of electrical energy to chemical energy (such as direct seawater splitting and CO₂ electrocatalytic reduction), and catalytic purification of flue gas from coal-fired power plants. He has published more than 170 peer-reviewed SCI papers in journals such as Nat. Commun., Angew. Chem. Int. Ed., ACS Nano, Appl. Catal. B, and Chin. J. Catal with 35 ESI Highly Cited Papers. His work has been cited over 11000 times, with an H-index of 67 (Web of Science). He has been consecutively named in Stanford University‘s World’s Top 2% Scientists List for six years (2020-2025).
  • Supported by:
    National Natural Science Foundation of China(52470127);National Natural Science Foundation of China(52306165);Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities(xtr062023001);Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities(xtr052024009);Innovation Capability Support Plan Project in Shaanxi Province(2024RS-CXTD-22);Scientific and Technical Innovation Demonstration Project for Social Development of Xi'an Municipal Bureau of Science and Technology(2024JH-CXSF-0020);Shaanxi Province Qinchuangyuan "Scientists+Engineers" Team Construction Project(2025QCY-KXJ-097)

Abstract:

Nitrogen oxides (NOx) emitted from industrial processes pose severe environmental threats, necessitating efficient abatement technologies. Selective catalytic reduction with NH3 (NH3-SCR) at low temperatures represents a promising route, with Mn-based oxides being among the most active candidates. However, their practical application is hindered by insufficient N2 selectivity, susceptibility to SO2 and H2O poisoning, and a narrow operational window. Rare earth (RE) modification has emerged as a highly effective strategy for optimizing Mn-based catalysts in low-temperature NH3-SCR of NOx, yet a systematic understanding of the structure-activity relationships and reaction mechanisms remains lacking. This review provides a systematic and mechanistic overview of recent advances in RE-modified Mn-based catalysts for low-temperature NH3-SCR. We first establish the structural-performance relationships of pure MnOx, focusing on valence states, crystal phases, morphologies, and synthesis methods. Subsequently, we classify and discuss three major catalyst families: RE-modified MnOx, RE-Mn composite oxides, and supported RE-Mn systems. Special emphasis is placed on the roles of RE elements in enhancing low-temperature activity, broadening the temperature window, improving N2 selectivity, and constructing multi-level anti-poisoning mechanisms against H2O and SO2. We further elucidate the underlying reaction pathways and how RE doping modulates the electronic structure, active site distribution, and intermediate transformation. Finally, we identify key challenges for industrial deployment, such as long-term stability under complex flue gas, scalability, and cost-effectiveness, and propose future research directions toward the rational design of robust, high-performance SCR catalysts. This work provides a mechanistic framework and design principles for developing high-performance RE-Mn catalysts under practical flue-gas conditions.

Key words: Selective catalytic reduction, Mn-based catalysts, Rare earth modification, Low-temperature activity, Reaction mechanism, Anti-poisoning strategies