CYCLOHEXANE CONVERSION ON NICKEL SILICA CATALYSTS THE INFLUENCE OF METAL LOADING AND PREPARATION PROCEDURE

A series of nickel/silica catalysts with different metal loading and d ifferent procedures of preparation was studied as catalysts for cycloh exane conversion using microcatalytic technique. The dehydrogenation a nd hydrogenolysis of cyclohexane are parallel reactions and proceed on active sites of different natures. Reaction temperature, state of met al dispersion and loading level are important factors in determining t he catalyst selectivity. Kinetics of cyclohexane conversion were studi ed using Kiperman and Bassett-Habgood equations. A reactions mechanism was proposed for cyclohexane dehydrogenation based on monoatomic ense mbles as active sites.