Design of a hierarchical Fe-ZSM-5@CeO2 catalyst and the enhanced performances for the selective catalytic reduction of NO with NH3

•Hierarchical Fe-ZSM-5@CeO2 for NH3-SCR is fabricated via dopamine polymerization.•Fe-ZSM-5@CeO2 possesses an elevated catalytic activity compared with physical mixed Fe-ZSM-5/CeO2.•By pre-generation of NO2 in the oxidizing layer of CeO2, a ‘fast SCR’ environment is created.•The synergistic effect of Fe-ZSM-5 and CeO2 over Fe-ZSM-5@CeO2 facilitates the redox cycle.•Both Eley-Rideal and Langmuir-Hinshelwood mechanisms exist in NH3-SCR over Fe-ZSM-5@CeO2.