A series of Ni/HZSM-5 bifunctional catalysts were prepared and were characterized by infrared
spectroscopy of adsorbed pyridine as well as by X-ray powder diffraction analysis. The activity of
the catalysts was investigated in hydrogenation and aromatization for the hydrotreating of cracked
naphtha. It was revealed that the aromatization activity of the Ni/HZSM-5 catalyst decreases
with the increase of catalyst acidity. The production of aromatics in hydrotreated naphtha with
relatively low reaction temperature is related to a complicated scheme of carbenium ion reactions
taking place on the catalyst surface and which are associated with the cooperation of the L acid
site and the B acid site in the catalyst. The experimental results of hydrotreating of FCC naphtha
show that the Ni/HZSM-5 catalyst has high aromatization and moderate hydrogenation activities;
with the increase of reaction temperature the RON of the hydrotreated naphtha increases, mainly
because of the production of aromatics, but at the same time there is a decrease of the total
naphtha yield, because of the production of light products.