Studies on recycling and utilization of spent catalysts: Preparation of active hydrodemetallization catalyst compositions from spent residue hydroprocessing catalysts

Spent catalysts form a major source of solid wastes in the petroleum refining industries. Due to environmental concerns, increasing emphasis has been placed on the development of recycling processes for the waste catalyst materials as much as possible. In the present study the potential reuse of spent catalysts in the preparation of active new catalysts for residual oil hydrotreating was examined. A series of catalysts were prepared by mixing and extruding spent residue hydroprocessing catalysts that contained C, V, Mo, Ni and Al₂O₃ with boehmite in different proportions. All prepared catalysts were characterized by chemical analysis and by surface area, pore volume, pore size and crushing strength measurements. The hydrodesulfurization (HDS) and hydrodemetallization (HDM) activities of the catalysts were evaluated by testing in a high pressure fixed-bed microreactor unit using Kuwait atmospheric residue as feed. A commercial HDM catalyst was also tested under similar operating conditions and their HDS and HDM activities were compared with that of the prepared catalysts. The results revealed that catalyst prepared with addition of up to 40 wt% spent catalyst to boehmite had fairly high surface area and pore volume together with large pores. The catalyst prepared by mixing and extruding about 40 wt% spent catalyst with boehmite was relatively more active for promoting HDM and HDS reactions than a reference commercial HDM catalyst. The formation of some kind of new active sites from the metals (V, Mo and Ni) present in the spent catalyst is suggested to be responsible for the high HDM activity of the prepared catalyst.     

Catalyst design and development for upgrading aromatic hydrocarbons

Background and strategy of catalyst development for upgrading aromatic hydrocarbons are intensively discussed. Originally prepared catalysts (hydrogenation and hydrocracking catalysts) were used for accelerated aging tests. Though each catalyst showed superior catalytic performance as compared to commercially available catalysts, a severe deactivation was observed on the hydrocracking (HC) catalysts. A new type of HC catalyst was designed and prepared, based on the understanding of catalyst deactivation. High silica NaY zeolites were synthesized using crown-ether. USY zeolites were then prepared by ion exchange, steaming and calcining. Surface properties and catalytic functions of well-crystallized USY zeolites were investigated to develop practical HC catalysts. The Ni–W catalyst prepared using the newly prepared USY zeolite showed a considerable improvement in the HC activity.     

Iron catalyst supported on carbon nanotubes for Fischer-Tropsch synthesis: Effects of Mo promotion

Our studies on the application of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) as support have shown that iron catalysts supported on CNTs are active and selective catalysts for Fischer-Tropsch synthesis (FTS). However, these catalysts experienced deactivation as a result of active site agglomerations. In order to control the agglomeration of active site, which is an important step in developing a novel catalyst supported on carbon-based supports, the effects of Mo promotion on deactivation behavior of iron catalysts supported on CNTs were studied. In this work the properties and catalytic performance of unpromoted iron catalysts were compared with a promoted catalyst with different Mo contents (0.5, 1, 5, and 12 wt%). Based on TEM and XRD analyses, promotion of the catalysts with Mo resulted in production of smaller metal particles compared to the unpromoted iron catalyst. According to XRD analysis, Mo species were deposited in their amorphous structure. TPR analyses showed that addition of Mo increased reduction temperature significantly. Based on TEM and XRD analyses, the particle size of the iron oxides in the unpromoted catalyst increased from 16 to 25 nm under FT operating conditions, while the particle size of the iron oxide in the Mo promoted catalysts (∼12-14 nm) did not change noticeably under the same operating conditions. Activity, selectivity and stability of the unpromoted and Mo promoted catalysts showed that addition of 0.5-1 wt% Mo resulted in a more stable catalyst. Higher contents of Mo (5 and 12 wt%) decreased the activity of the catalysts due to catalytic site coverage and lower extent of reduction. Mo promotion (0.5-12 wt%) increased the selectivity of the catalysts toward lighter hydrocarbons. The promotion of the iron catalyst with 0.5 wt% of Mo stabilized the activity of the catalyst with minimal increase (2%) in methane selectivity.     

Effect of Palladium on Iron Fischer–Tropsch Synthesis Catalysts

Studies were conducted to investigate the effect of Pd on the Fischer–Tropsch Synthesis (FTS) selectivity, activity and kinetics as well as on the water–gas shift activity of an iron catalyst. Two palladium promoted catalysts (Pd0.002/Fe100 and Pd0.005/Fe100) were prepared from a base Fe100/Si5.1 (atomic ratio) catalyst. Results of FTS over the two palladium promoted catalysts were compared to those obtained from the K/Fe/Si base catalyst and a Cu/K/Fe/Si catalyst. The results indicate that Pd enhanced the FT activity while the selectivity for CO₂ and CH₄ changed little compared to the results for the base catalyst and the Cu promoted catalyst. Palladium promotion had a negative effect on the C₂—C₄ olefin to paraffin ratio. Pd promotion led to a higher WGS rate than the other two catalysts at high syngas conversions. A higher WGS rate compared to the FTS rate was obtained only for the Pd promoted catalysts. The FTS rate constant for the Pd promoted catalyst is higher than the base catalyst but lower than for the Cu promoted catalyst.     

FI Zr-type catalysts for ethylene polymerization

Two FI-type catalysts of Bis[N-(3,5-dicumylsalicylidene)-naphthylaminato]zirconium(IV) dichloride (catalyst (a)) and Bis[N-(3,5-dicumylsalicylidene)-anthracylaminato]zirconium(IV) dichloride (catalyst (b)) were prepared and used for ethylene polymerization comparatively. Methylaluminoxane (MAO) was used as cocatalyst. Polymerization reactions of ethylene using the prepared catalysts at the different conditions of polymerization were carried out. Plurality of the fused aromatic rings on the N atom of the imine in the catalyst structure affected the polymerization activity and molecular weight of the resulting polymer as well. Productivity of the prepared catalysts increased with the addition of [Al]/[Zr] molar ratio. The highest activity was observed at about 35–40 °C for the catalysts. The catalyst (b) produced higher viscosity average molecular weight (M_v) of the obtained polyethylene, while generally the activity of the catalyst (a) was higher than the catalyst (b). Similar behavior was observed for the polymerization carried out at the monomer pressure of 2 to 6 bars using the catalysts. The higher the pressure the more activity of the catalysts obtained, in the range studied. Crystallinity and melting point of the obtained polymer were between 55–65% and 120–135 °C respectively. Higher pressure increased both the crystallinity and the M_v values of the resulting polymer. The polymerization was carried out using different amounts of hydrogen. Higher amount of hydrogen could increase the activity of the catalysts. A linear dependence between the polymerization time and the molar weight was observed, however the polydispersity was broadened with the time.     

Screening of PdM and PtM catalysts in a multi-anode direct formic acid fuel cell

Direct formic acid fuel cells (DFAFC) currently employ either Pt-based or Pd-based anode catalysts for oxidation of formic acid. However, improvements are needed in either the activity of Pt-based catalysts or the stability of Pd-based catalysts. In this study, a number of carbon-supported Pt-based and Pd-based catalysts, were prepared by co-depositing PdM (M = Bi, Mo, or V) on Vulcan^® XC-72 carbon black, or depositing another metal (Pb or Sn) on a Pt/C catalyst. These catalysts were systematically evaluated and compared with commercial Pd/C, PtRu/C, and Pt/C catalysts in a multi-anode DFAFC. The PtPb/C and PtSn/C catalysts were found to show significantly higher activities than the commercial Pt/C catalyst, while the PdBi/C provided higher stability than the commercial Pd/C catalyst.     

Bimetallic Ru-Fe Nanoparticles Supported on Carbon Nanotubes for Ammonia Decomposition and Synthesis

Alloy catalysts can achieve superior performance to single metal while reducing the cost by fine-tuning the composition and morphology. Bimetallic Ru-Fe nanoparticles were synthesized via liquid-phase reduction method followed by impregnation with multiwall carbon nanotubes (CNTs) to prepare Ru-Fe/CNTs catalysts. The Ru₃Fe/CNTs catalyst yields a superior catalytic stability for ammonia decomposition compared to the Ru/CNTs catalyst. Hence, the ammonia synthesis rate of the Ru₃Fe/CNTs catalyst was significantly higher than that of Ru/CNTs catalyst. The potential of bimetallic catalysts with reasonable composition and proportion will expand the research of efficient catalysts for ammonia decomposition and synthesis.     

M-N-C阴极催化剂的制备及其在微生物燃料电池中的应用

以聚苯胺和硝酸盐为前驱体,采用热处理法制备了M-N-C（M=Fe,Co）材料,并将其作为厌氧流化床微生物燃料电池（AFBMFC）阴极催化剂。通过X射线衍射（XRD）、红外光谱（FTIR）、扫描电子显微镜（SEM）对催化剂进行晶型结构和表面形貌的表征。采用循环伏安法（CV）对催化剂的电化学性能进行考察,并应用于AFBMFC,考察了其对电池产电性能的影响。结果表明,使用Fe-N-C催化剂的微生物燃料电池稳定运行时,开路电压达到636.0 mV,功率密度达到166.82 mW·m^-2,比使用Pt/C催化剂的微生物燃料电池的功率密度提高10%。表明Fe-N-C催化剂用做微生物燃料电池阴极催化剂具有潜在的应用前景。     

Highly Active Polymer‐Supported (Salen)Al Catalysts for the Enantioselective Addition of Cyanide to α,β‐Unsaturated Imides

In this contribution, we describe polymer‐supported (R,R)‐(salen)AlCl complexes that were immobilized on poly(norbornene)s and display excellent activities and enantioselectivies as catalysts for the 1,4‐conjugate addition of cyanide to α,β‐unsaturated imides. These supported catalysts could be recycled up to 5 times without compromising catalyst activities or selectivities. Furthermore, the catalyst loadings could be reduced from 10–15 mol%, the common catalyst loadings for non‐supported (salen)Al catalysts, to 5 mol%, a decrease of metal content by 50–66%, without lowering product yields or enantioselectivities. Kinetic studies indicated that the polymer‐supported catalysts are significantly more active than their corresponding unsupported analogues, which makes this catalyst system key to a successful implementation of this catalytic transformation into the fine chemical and pharmaceutical industries.     

Properties of Pt/C catalyst modified by chemical vapor deposition of Cr as a cathode of phosphoric acid fuel cell

Cr-modified Pt/C catalysts were prepared by the chemical vapour deposition (CVD) of Cr on Pt/C, and their performance as a cathode of phosphoric acid fuel cell (PAFC) was compared with the case of catalysts containing Cr added by impregnation (IMP).The catalyst prepared by CVD showed a higher activity for oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) than one prepared by IMP. There was an optimum amount of Cr that yielded the maximum mass activity of the catalyst because the gain in the intrinsic activity due to the promotional effect of Cr was counterbalanced by the loss of exposed Pt surface area as a result of the Cr introduction. Nevertheless, the activity increase at the optimum amount of Cr was greater for the CVD catalyst than for the IMP catalyst. Also, the optimum amount of Cr to yield the maximum activity was smaller for the former catalyst [Cr/Pt]_CVD = 0.6, than for the latter, [Cr/Pt]_IMP = 1.0.The enhancement of the Pt catalyst activity by Cr addition is attributed to two factors: changes in the surface Pt-Pt spacing and the electronic modification of the Pt surface. The formation of a Pt-Cr alloy, as confirmed by X-ray diffraction, decreased the lattice parameter of Pt, which was beneficial to the catalyst activity for ORR. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy results showed that the binding energies of Pt electrons were shifted to higher energies due to Cr modification. Accordingly, the electron density of Pt was lowered and the Pt-O bond became weak on the Cr-modified catalysts, which was also beneficial to the catalyst activity for ORR.The promotion of oxygen reduction on Cr-modified catalysts was confirmed by measuring the cyclic voltammograms of the catalysts. All the above changes were made more effectively for catalysts prepared by CVD than for those prepared by IMP because the former method allowed Cr to interact more closely with the Pt surface than the latter, which was demonstrated by the characterization of catalysts in this study.     

Living and non-living Ziegler-Natta catalysts: electronic properties of active site

Most of polymerization reactions with Ziegler catalysts operate through the ‘non-living’ mechanism, whereas lanthanide catalysts show a living-mechanism character. The degree of ‘livingness’ in a polymerization reaction is generally investigated through kinetics and the product analysis rather than by direct analysis of a catalyst. We have developed a new insight for judging the ‘livingness’ in polymerization reaction in aspect of electronical properties of the active chain ends of Li, Ni and Nd catalysts for 1,3-butadiene polymerization using the frontier orbital analysis. The frontier orbitals of the Ni catalyst are different from those of the Li and Nd based catalysts. The HOMO of the Ni catalyst has mostly the d-orbital (Ni) character while the LUMO has the p-orbital (C_α and C_γ atoms) as well as the d-orbital (Ni) character. The π-butenyl coordination at the Ni catalyst is η¹-type but those of the Nd and Li catalysts are η³. The atomic charge (+0.003) on the Ni atom and the atomic charge (−0.14) on C_α of the Ni catalyst are much lower than those of the Nd catalyst (Nd +1.09, C_α −0.56).     

MnOx/Pt/Al2O3 catalysts for CO oxidation in H2-rich streams

The catalytic activity of Pt on alumina catalysts, with and without MnO_x incorporated to the catalyst formulation, for CO oxidation in H₂-free as well as in H₂-rich stream (PROX) has been studied in the temperature range of 25–250 °C. The effect of catalyst preparation (by successive impregnation or by co-impregnation of Mn and Pt) and Mn content in the catalyst performance has been studied. A low Mn content (2 wt.%) has been found not to improve the catalyst activity compared to the base catalyst. However, catalysts prepared by successive impregnation with 8 and 15 wt.% Mn have shown a lower operation temperature for maximum CO conversion than the base catalyst with an enhanced catalyst activity at low temperatures with respect to Pt/Al₂O₃. A maximum CO conversion of 89.8%, with selectivity of 44.9% and CO yield of 40.3% could be reached over a catalyst with 15 wt.% Mn operating at 139 °C and λ = 2. The effect of the presence of 5 vol.% CO₂ and 5 vol.% H₂O in the feedstream on catalysts performance has also been studied and discussed. The presence of CO₂ in the feedstream enhances the catalytic performance of all the studied catalysts at high temperature, whereas the presence of steam inhibits catalysts with higher MnO_x content.     

Magnetic Nanoparticle Polymer Brush Catalysts: Alternative Hybrid Organic/Inorganic Structures to Obtain High, Local Catalyst Loadings for Use in Organic Transformations

A new class of hybrid organic/inorganic molecular catalysts with high, local catalyst concentrations is demonstrated by supporting organic and organometallic catalysts on magnetic nanoparticle based polymer brushes (MPB). Poly(styrene) brushes containing Co(III)-salen or piperazine side chains are prepared via atom-transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) from Fe₃O₄ nanoparticles modified with appropriate initiator molecules. The polymer brush architecture promotes the cooperative interactions required for Co-salen catalyzed ring-opening of epoxides as demonstrated in the hydrolytic kinetic resolution of rac-epichlorohydrin. In addition, the piperazine functionalized MPB catalyst contains the high catalyst concentration that is required for promoting the Knoevenagel condensation of benzaldehyde and malononitrile with this type of amine catalyst. All the MPB catalysts were easily removed from solution via application of a magnetic field, allowing straightforward recovery and reuse. The versatile MPB architecture can be used to create a variety of recoverable supported organic or organometallic catalysts.     

Catalysts with noble metals based on super-cross-linked polystyrene for the hydrogenation of aromatic hydrocarbons

A series of catalysts containing noble metals on a super-cross-linked polystyrene (SCP) support with a developed specific surface area (>1000 m²/g) and high thermal stability are prepared and studied to develop an effective catalyst for the low-temperature hydrogenation of aromatic hydrocarbons. A study of Pt- and Pd-containing catalysts based on SCP, carbon supports, and alumina in the hydrogenation of simple (benzene, toluene), branched (n-butylbenzene) and polycyclic (terphenyl) aromatic compounds is conducted. In the hydrogenation of aromatic hydrocarbons, the activity of the catalysts on SCP is comparable to or surpasses analogous catalysts based on Al₂O₃ and Sibunit in the content of noble metals; it is established that catalysts on SCP have greater selectivity in the hydrogenation of benzene in a benzene-toluene mixture. The electronic state of metals in the Pt(Pd)/SCP catalysts is studied by the IR spectroscopy of adsorbed CO. In testing the catalysts in the hydrogenation of terphenyl, it is found that Pt-containing catalyst on the SCP can operate in reversible hydrogenation-dehydrogenation cycles (terphenyl-tercyclohexane); this is promising for the use of such catalyst systems in creating composite materials for hydrogen storage.     

Effect of pore size on bitumen hydrocracking over Al2O3-AlPO4 supported Ni-Mo catalysts

A study of co-precipitated aluminum oxide-aluminum phosphate (AAP) materials as supports of Ni-Mo heavy oil upgrading catalysts has been completed. Results of both short duration (8 h) and longer duration (up to 200 h) experiments at conditions relevant to the commercial H-Oil process are reported and compared with a commercial NiMo/Al₂O₃ catalyst. The initial activity of the Ni-Mo/AAP catalysts correlates with the catalyst average pore diameter which is determined by the P content of the AAP support. An optimum pore diameter of about 20 run exists for HDM whereas for HDS a pore diameter < 10 nm is desirable. After 100 h operation the HDM conversion of the best Ni-Mo/AAP catalyst was approximately 10 percentage points greater than for the commercial catalyst. The HDS and CCR conversions were comparable over the two catalysts. The difference in performance between the catalysts is attributed primarily to the smaller pore size of the Al₂O₃ support compared to the AAP support. The amount of coke deposited on the Ni-Mo/AAP catalyst was less than that on the commercial catalyst, presumably due to differences in pitch conversion levels.     

A novel fluid catalytic cracking approach for producing low aromatic LCO

Four FCC catalysts were compared in a CREC Riser Simulator reactor using an aromatic Brazilian VGO feed aiming at maximum low aromatic middle distillate production. Differences in activity were compensated by changes in the contact time. The first catalyst (A) was a maximum LCO commercial grade, the other three being experimental catalysts, including a pair of related materials in which one of the catalysts (M2) was produced by modulating the acidity of the other one (M1). Inert non porous silica was evaluated as a thermal cracking reference. The four catalysts were characterized as tested using temperature-programmed desorption of n-propylamine to determine their Brönsted acidity. The commercial catalyst A was by far the most acidic catalyst, followed by catalyst M1. Brönsted acidity of the two other catalysts M2 and B was about one tenth the value of catalyst A. Lowering the Brönsted acidity reduced catalyst activity, but it was possible to recover conversion by increasing reaction time, which was not the case with the thermal cracking reference. The yields of light naphtha and of aromatic hydrocarbons in the C10 and C11 range (inversely correlated to LCO Cetane) of the low acidity catalysts B and M2 was reduced by 30% and 50% respectively and LCO (C12 to C20 hydrocarbons) was increased by 33%, compared to catalyst A at the same slurry oil yield.     

A comparative activity study of a new ultra-dispersed catalyst system for a hydrocracking/hydrotreating technology using vacuum residue oil: Merey/Mesa

Ultra-dispersed catalysts give an improvement over the main reactions activity by having a low deactivation rate. They provide as well other advantages like a diminution in the catalysts metal concentration, a reduction in contaminants and also these catalysts can be used in almost every area where heterogeneous catalysts are used. Catalysts synthesis optimization is important to improve process recovery, especially in hydrocracking/hydrotreating processes, where feedstock is vacuum residue. Here, we have evaluated the catalytic performance of two molybdenum–nickel catalysts prepared using different emulsion formulation, named E-T (base catalyst) and AT-48 (new catalyst). Our results showed that, the percentage of converted products for VR 500 °C⁺, asphaltenes and microcarbon are comparable for both E-T and AT-48 catalysts, despite the fact that for the latter a lower molybdenum concentration was used. In addition, post-catalytic particles analyses using SEM and TEM techniques demonstrated that AT-48 catalyst showed a non-aggregated and homogeneous narrower distribution of metallic particles than E-T one. The lower average particle size distribution is related to the improvement of the liquid product yields for the hydroconversion of Mery/Mesa VR using the AT-48 catalyst.     

Effect of heat treatment on stability of gold particle modified carbon supported Pt-Ru anode catalysts for a direct methanol fuel cell

Carbon supported Au-PtRu (Au-PtRu/C) catalysts were prepared as the anodic catalysts for the direct methanol fuel cell (DMFC). The procedure involved simple deposition of Au particles on a commercial Pt-Ru/C catalyst, followed by heat treatment of the resultant composite catalyst at 125, 175 and 200 °C in a N₂ atmosphere. High-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HR-TEM) measurements indicated that the Au nanoparticles were attached to the surface of the Pt-Ru nanoparticles. We found that the electrocatalytic activity and stability of the Au-PtRu/C catalysts for methanol oxidation is better than that of the PtRu/C catalyst. An enhanced stability of the electrocatalyst is observed and attributable to the promotion of CO oxidation by the Au nanoparticles adsorbed onto the Pt-Ru particles, by weakening the adsorption of CO, which can strongly adsorb to and poison Pt catalyst. XPS results show that Au-PtRu/C catalysts with heat treatment lead to surface segregation of Pt metal and an increase in the oxidation state of Ru, which militates against the dissolution of Ru. We additionally find that Au-PtRu/C catalysts heat-treated at 175 °C exhibit the highest electrocatalytic stability among the catalysts prepared by heat treatment: this observation is explained as due to the attainment of the highest relative concentration of gold and the highest oxidation state of Ru oxides for the catalyst pretreated at this temperature.     

New effective catalysts based on mesoporous nanofibrous carbon for selective oxidation of hydrogen sulfide

The systems based on granular mesoporous nanofibrous carbonaceous (NFC) materials synthesized by decomposition of hydrocarbons over nickel-containing catalysts are promising catalysts for selective oxidation of hydrogen sulfide. Sample series of nanofibrous carbon with three main types of their fiber structures and different contents of metal catalysts inherited from the catalysts for their synthesis were studied in this reaction. The correlation between NFC structure and its activity and selectivity in hydrogen sulfide oxidation was determined. The metal inherited from the initial catalysts for the synthesis of NFC influences the activity and selectivity of the resulting carbon catalysts. A particular influence is observed in the case of the catalyst withdrawn from the synthesis reactor at the stage of stationary operation of the metal catalyst (low specific carbon yields per unit weight of the catalyst). The presence of the metal phase results in an increase in the carbon catalyst activity and in a decrease in the selectivity to sulfur. NFC samples with the highest activity and selectivity are nanotubes and those with graphite planes perpendicular to the axis of the fibers. Carbon nanotubes have high selectivity, while samples obtained on copper–nickel catalysts also possess high activity. The promising NFC catalysts provide high conversion and selectivity (almost independent of the molar oxygen/hydrogen sulfide ratio) when a large excess of oxygen is contained in the reaction mixture.     

Preparation of Mesoporous Ni–alumina Catalyst by One-step Sol–gel Method: Control of Textural Properties and Catalytic Application to the Hydrodechlorination of o-dichlorobenzene

Mesoporous Ni–alumina catalysts (Ni–alumina-pre and Ni–alumina-post) were synthesized by one-step sol–gel method using micelle complex comprising lauric acid and nickel ion as a template with metal source and using aluminum sec-butoxide as an aluminum source. The Ni–alumina catalysts showed relatively high surface areas (303 m²/g for Ni–alumina-pre and 331 m²/g for Ni–alumina-post) and narrow pore size distributions centered at ca. 4 nm. Highly dispersed Ni particles were observed in the Ni–alumina catalysts (ca. 5.2 nm for Ni–alumina-pre and ca. 6.8 nm for Ni–alumina-post) after reduction at 550 °C, while a catalyst prepared without a template (NiAl-comp) exhibited inferior porosity with large metal particles (ca. 12.3 nm). Mesoporous Ni–alumina catalysts with different porosity were obtained by employing different hydrolysis step of aluminum source. When aluminum source was hydrolyzed under the presence of micelle complex, a supported Ni catalyst with highly developed framework mesoporosity was obtained (Ni–alumina-post). On the other hand, when aluminum source was pre-hydrolyzed followed by mixing with micelle solution, the resulting catalyst (Ni–alumina-pre) retained high portion of textural porosity. It was revealed that the hydrolysis method employed in this research affected not only textural properties but also metal-support interaction in the Ni–alumina catalysts. It was also found that the Ni–alumina-pre catalyst exhibited weaker interaction between nickel and alumina than the Ni–alumina-post, leading to higher degree of reduction in the Ni–alumina-pre catalyst. In the hydrodechlorination of o-dichlorobenzene, the Ni–alumina catalysts exhibited better catalytic performance than the NiAl-comp catalyst, which was attributed to higher metal dispersion in the Ni–alumina catalysts. In particular, the Ni–alumina-pre catalyst showing 1.5 times higher degree of reduction and larger amounts of o-dichlorobenzene adsorption exhibited better catalytic performance than the Ni–alumina-post catalyst.