The synthesis of pillared nickel‐substituted saponite and its hydroisomerization activity

Nickel‐substituted saponite clays (NiS) were synthesized. The pillared clays noted PNiS were prepared from the NiS intercalated with large inorganic cations such as [Al₁₃O₄(OH)₂₄·(H₂O)₁₂]⁷⁺. It is found that the pillar density is correlative with aluminium content in the tetrahedral sheet of NiS. The results from TPR indicate that the palladium loaded on samples promotes the reduction of the nickel ion in the octahedral sheet. The pillared clays impregnated with Pd²⁺ noted PdPNiS show excellent hydroisomerization property which is much better than that of nickel substituted mica‐montmorillonite pillared with silicon oxide oligomer noted PdPSMM. The hexane conversion increases with the content of aluminium ion in the tetrahedral sheet, whereas the change of the selectivity of isomerization is not obvious.