Herein, alpha-MnO2 catalysts with three well-defined morphologies (nanorod, ultra-long nanowire and microsphere) were rational designed and prepared by the hydrothermal route, and their catalytic activities were evaluated for the dimethyl ether (DME) combustion. These nanostructured alpha-MnO2 catalysts were characterized in detail by various analytical techniques: XRD, FESEM, TEM, BET, XPS and H-2-TPR As a result, the alpha-MnO2 nanorod exhibited the higher catalytic activity (T-10 =170 degrees C and T-90 = 238 degrees C at WHSV= 30,000 mLg(-1) h(-1)) than the other two alpha-MnO2 samples due to its larger specific surface area, higher average oxidation state of Mn, more abundant surface lattice oxygen (O-latt) species and higher reducibility, and there was no obvious decrease after the alpha-MnO2 nanorod was run for 50 h. Moreover, the transient response technique revealed that the O-latt species of the alpha-MnO2 nanorod should be the crucial role in the deep oxidation of DME. (C) 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.