Synthesis and characterization of Ni-MCM-41 materials with spherical morphology and their catalytic activity in toluene hydrogenation

Spherical MCM-41 mesoporous materials, containing different amounts of nickel were prepared by single-step synthesis and by wet impregnation. The catalysts were characterized by means of transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), N2 physisorption, temperature-programmed reduction (TPR) and IR spectroscopy. It was shown that the reducibility, as well as, the catalytic activity of the modified samples in the hydrogenation of toluene were affected by the method of catalyst preparation and the pre-treatment conditions. The paper discusses the relations between the pre-treatment conditions, such as, reducing gas, reduction temperature and rate of heating, and the reducibility of the nickel oxide phase.