Abstract
The effects of post-impregnation drying conditions on the physical properties and overall rate of benzene hydrogenation were investigated with nickel/alumina catalysts, prepared by impregnating nickel ion-adsorptive and nickel ion-nonadsorptive aluminas and drying them under two conditions. Uniform nickel concentration profiles were obtained with the adsorptive support independent of the drying conditions, but the reduction degree of nickel by hydrogen and the nickel particle diameter were influenced by the drying conditions. With the nonadsorptive support, the drying conditions have a significant effect on the nickel profiles. In this case, the reduction degree and the particle diameter are dependent on the local all-nickel (reduced and unreduced nickel) content. The pore structure of the catalysts prepared from the nonadsorptive support was affected by the drying conditions. The experimental results of the overall reaction rate of benzene hydrogenation were found to be consistent with the change of the pore structure.
