Innovations and future directions in hybrid non-thermal plasma-catalyst systems for VOC decomposition

• Hybrid non-thermal plasma–catalyst systems for VOC abatement reviewed. • Maps energy–selectivity trade-offs across reactors and catalyst classes. • Identifies five reactor–catalyst “matchings” that drive performance. • Details humidity, ozone slip, and deactivation controls for durability. • Outlines future work: tunable pulsed power, advanced oxides, and AI control. Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are challenging to abate because conventional thermal and adsorption approaches trade high energy use for incomplete mineralization and by-product formation. Hybrid non-thermal plasma–catalyst (NTP–catalyst) systems address these limits by coupling plasma-generated oxidants with surfaces that steer reaction pathways at near-ambient bulk temperatures. This review examines NTP–catalyst performance across dielectric-barrier discharge, corona, and gliding-arc reactors, and across catalysts including oxygen-vacancy-rich MnO x and CeO 2 , TiO 2 , zeolites, metal-organic frameworks (MOFs), and noble-metal dopants. We organize disparate results using five “matchings”: (i) position (in-plasma vs post-plasma placement), (ii) time-scale (microsecond plasma pulses vs millisecond–second surface kinetics), (iii) energy (specific input energy (SIE) optima beyond which carbon balance and CO 2 selectivity degrade), (iv) material (multi-metal sites and vacancy engineering), and (v) operation (temperature, humidity, and residence time). We synthesize trends on conversion, CO 2 selectivity, ozone slip, and partial-oxidation by-products, and discuss durability (coking, halogen/sulfur poisoning, plasma aging) alongside mitigation via robust supports, sacrificial oxygen, and periodic regeneration. Finally, we chart future directions: Nanosecond repetitively pulsed (NRP) and frequency-tunable power supplies; structured catalysts and reactors (honeycomb, packed/fluidized beds, and 3D-printed dielectrics) for uniform plasma–solid contact; multi-process hybrids (plasma + photocatalysis/ozonation) to lower energy intensity; in-situ/operando diagnostics and microkinetic–plasma modeling; and data-driven control (AI/ML) for real-time optimization and scale-up. This synthesis provides design guidance and research priorities toward industrially scalable, energy-efficient VOC abatement.