A Mn-based sorbent with high desulfurization efficiency were fabricated using various mesoporous silica as support and doping rare earth oxides, and their physical properties were characterized by means of XRD, BET, H-2-TPR, CO2-TPD, O-2-TPD and UV-Vis techniques. The results indicated that Mn/MCF exhibited the highest desulfurization performance among Mn/MCM-41, Mn/SBA-15, Mn/MCM-48 and Mn/MCF due to the 3-D ultra-large mesopores and excellent thermal stability of MCF at 700 degrees C. Doping rare earth oxides into Mn/MCF can make the high dispersion of active particles. But the breakthrough sulfur capacities (BSCs) over 95Mn5Ce/MCF, 95Mn5La/MCF and 95Mn5Sm/MCF sorbents are lower than Mn/MCF sorbent due to the lower BSCs of CeO2, Sm2O3 and La2O3 themselves and the lower S-BET and V-T. The desulfurization efficiency and precision further declined with increasing steam content for Mn/MCF sorbent. The high sulfur capacity over the Mn/MCF sorbent was maintained during the five consecutive desulfurization/regeneration cycles. (C) 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.