The influence of the activation atmosphere (air and hydrogen) on the properties of Ni/SBA-15 and Ni/γ-Al2O3 catalysts was investigated. The results show that calcination in H2 atmosphere has a great promotion on the dispersion of Ni/SBA-15 but little influence on the reduction behaviors of nickel species. On the contrary, calcination in H2 atmosphere has little influence on the dispersion of Ni/γ-Al2O3 catalyst but a great promotion on the reduction behaviors of nickel species. Therefore, the activities of Ni/SBA-15 and Ni/γ-Al2O3 catalysts for hydrogenation of naphthalene are promoted by calcination in H2 atmosphere, but the promotion effects on Ni/SBA-15 and Ni/γ-Al2O3 catalysts are difference. The promotion on Ni/γ-Al2O3 catalyst is due to the enhancement of its reduction degree, which is enhanced from 39.9 % by calcination in air to 96.5 % by calcination in H2. The promotion on Ni/SBA-15 catalyst is attributed to the improvement of its dispersion, which is improved from 11.9 % by calcination in air to 27.4 % by calcination in H2. As a result, the activity is improved about 260 % for Ni/γ-Al2O3 catalyst but only 100 % for Ni/SBA-15.

With nickel nitrate and nickel acetate as nickel precursors, a series of Ni/SBA-15 catalysts were prepared by using the impregnation method and activating in air or hydrogen atmosphere. The Ni/SBA-15 catalysts were characterized with XRD, H2-TPD, N2 physisorption and online mass spectroscopy. Their catalytic properties were evaluated with hydrogenation of naphthalene as a model reaction. It was shown that activation in hydrogen greatly increased the Ni dispersion and catalytic activity of Ni/SBA-15 prepared with nickel nitrate, while activation in air significantly improved the sample prepared with nickel acetate. In terms of the thermal decomposition products of the catalyst precursors activated in different atmospheres, the affecting mechanism of the activation atmosphere on the Ni/SBA-15 catalysts prepared with different nickel precursors was proposed.