The direct decomposition of H2S into H-2 and S has attracted increasing attention because it can simultaneously recover valuable H-2 and elemental sulfur from a highly toxic waste gas. However, the thermal equilibrium limitation in this reaction presents a challenge to direct decomposition of H2S with high efficiency. Here we present a highly effective approach for direct decomposition of H2S into H-2 and S that can be achieved by microwave catalysis over MeS-based (Me = Ni,Co) microwave catalysts. These catalysts display outstanding activity with H2S conversion respectively up to 80.33% for the CoS/gamma-Al2O3/BaMn0.2Cu0.8O3 at 788 degrees C and 44.98% for NiS/gamma-Al2O3/BaMn0.2Cu0.8O3 at 650 degrees C under microwave irradiation, which remarkably exceeds the corresponding H2S equilibrium conversion at the conventional reaction condition. It is found that microwave irradiation exhibited the selective catalytic effect, which can break the cherriical equilibrium of H2S decomposition reaction over MeS-based (Me = Ni,Co) microwave catalysts under microwave irradiation. (C) 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.