Engineering oxygen defects in non-noble metal catalysts for advanced VOCs Destruction: Progress and Opportunities

• Revolutionizes VOC Abatement: Identifies oxygen vacancy (O V ) engineering in non-noble metal oxides (Co 3 O 4 , MnO 2 , CeO 2 , perovskites, spinels) as a transformative strategy to overcome the activity-stability-cost limitations of noble metal catalysts for volatile organic compound (VOC) catalytic oxidation. • Classifies & Contrasts O V Mechanisms: Systematically distinguishes Symmetric (SO V s) and Asymmetric Oxygen Vacancies (AO V s, M1-□-M2) , revealing their divergent roles: SO V s primarily enhance redox cycling and oxygen mobility, while AO V s create potent Lewis acid sites, induce charge polarization, and enable synergistic multi-metal activation critical for rate-limiting steps like aromatic ring cleavage. • Leverages Advanced Operando Characterization and DFT Calculations : Combines a toolkit of in situ/operando techniques (synchrotron XAS, EPR, STEM-EELS, etc.) to dynamically resolve OV behavior under reaction conditions with DFT calculations that quantify formation energies and activation barriers, together establishing robust structure-activity correlations and guiding rational catalyst design. • Unlocks Synergistic AOV Effects: Highlights engineered AOVs at hetero-interfaces (e.g., Cu-CeO 2 , CoMn, CeMn) as key catalytic accelerators, facilitating rapid oxygen replenishment/activation and shifting the rate-determining step, leading to activity boosts. • Proposes Next-Generation Strategies: Outlines cutting-edge solutions to current bottlenecks: Vacancy Gradient Architectures for stability, Dual-Anion Vacancy Engineering , and Digital Twin-Assisted Optimization for complex industrial exhaust conditions, paving the way for carbon-neutral VOC purification. Volatile organic compounds (VOCs), notorious for triggering atmospheric ozone and secondary organic aerosols, have escalated into a global environmental crisis demanding urgent remediation. While catalytic oxidation dominates VOCs elimination technologies, reliance on noble metal catalysts suffers from intrinsic drawbacks including resource scarcity and deactivation susceptibility, driving an imperative shift toward non-precious alternatives. This review spotlights oxygen vacancy engineering in transition metal oxides (e.g., Co 3 O 4 , MnO 2 , CeO 2 -based systems) as a revolutionary lever to break the activity-stability-cost trilemma. Unlike noble metals where surface reactions dominate, oxygen vacancies in non-precious matrices fundamentally reconfigure catalytic paradigms through some synergistic effects. Despite significant breakthroughs, a critical challenge remains in simultaneously achieving a high density of oxygen vacancies and maintaining structural stability, especially under the harsh conditions typical of industrial exhaust streams. Forward-looking strategies propose vacancy gradient architectures, dual-anion vacancy engineering, and digital twin-assisted defect optimization as keys to unlock the full potential of non-precious metal catalysts, paving the way for carbon–neutral VOCs purification systems.