A review of perovskite catalysts for automotive exhaust soot conversion: Structure, activity and design strategies

The soot particles in automobile exhaust are one of the main pollutants causing atmospheric pollution and posing health hazards to humans, and their efficient catalytic conversion is crucial for meeting increasingly stringent emission regulations. This review comprehensively summarizes recent advances in catalytic soot particles conversion, with a special focus on catalyst design, reaction mechanisms, and practical conversion processes. First, the unique advantages of perovskite catalysts are analyzed in detail, encompassing compositional tunability (A/B-site doping), modulation of electronic properties, structural design, and synthesis methodologies. Second, the reaction mechanisms of catalytic soot particles oxidation are thoroughly investigated research, specifically including: the formation and migration mechanisms of reactive oxygen species (O₂ − , O − , O 2− ), physicochemical interactions at the soot-catalyst contact interface, and reaction pathways and kinetics. This review specifically dissects the key roles of lattice oxygen activity, oxygen vacancy concentration, and surface properties in perovskite catalysts in the reaction mechanisms. Ultimately, the forward-looking perspectives are provided regarding rational design principles, mechanistic research advancement, and prospects for scalable implementation of high-performance soot catalysts, particularly perovskite-based systems. This work aims to establish theoretical frameworks and practical guidelines for developing efficient, durable, and cost-effective catalytic soot particles conversion technologies, thereby advancing the eco-friendly evolution of automotive exhaust aftertreatment systems. • Analysis of modification strategies in design of perovskite oxides. • Design principles of perovskite catalytic active sites and active oxygen species surveyed. • The research mechanism of perovskite oxides in the catalytic treatment of pollutants is described.