A Review on Fe2O3‐Based Catalysts for Toluene Oxidation: Catalysts Design and Optimization with the Formation of Abundant Oxygen Vacancies

Abstract Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are typical pollutants with hazards for humans and the environment, which can be efficiently mitigated by catalytic combustion. Fe 2 O 3 ‐based catalysts are a promising choice due to their low cost and strong redox ability. Several attempts have been made to promote the catalytic performance for Fe 2 O 3 ‐based catalysts at low temperatures. This review summarizes the research progress on Fe 2 O 3 ‐based catalysts for the oxidation of toluene, one of the most common and harmful VOC. Firstly, the structural properties and catalytic performances for Fe 2 O 3 ‐based catalysts have been summarized, and the reaction mechanisms for toluene oxidation on the surface of Fe 2 O 3 ‐based catalysts were detailed to comprehend the role of oxygen vacancies. Then, the modification for single Fe 2 O 3 catalysts, including synthesis parameters, structure and morphology control, is introduced to reveal the correlation between physicochemical properties of catalysts and their activity for toluene oxidation. In addition, composite Fe 2 O 3 catalysts, which can promote catalytic performance significantly by the synergetic effect between different components, were presented in detail. Moreover, waste‐derived Fe 2 O 3 catalysts with sustainable merit as converting waste into worth have been discussed. Finally, the advanced machine learning tools, which are helpful in accelerating catalyst design, configuration optimization and reactivity prediction, have been introduced as an emerging research opportunity for the future.