Abstract: Exo-tetrahydrodicyclopentadiene (exo-THDCPD), the main component of JP-10 fuel, is usually synthesized by hydrogenation and isomerization of dicyclopentadiene (DCPD). The saturated hydrogenation of DCPD is the key step, sothe synthesis of DCPD hydrogenation catalyst is particularly important. Based on this,Ni@SiO₂ catalysts with a nickel mass fraction of 30% were prepared by different synthesis methods (such as deposition precipitation method, ammonia evaporation method, gel method and impregnation method),using nickel nitrate hexahydrate and silica sol as raw materials,and applying to the hydrogenation of DCPD to tetrahydrodicyclopentadiene (endo-THDCPD).It was found thatthe Ni@SiO2 catalyst prepared by ammonia evaporation and calcination reduction had the characteristics of layered nickel silicate, abundant Lewis acid, Ni nano-scale dispersion and rich mesoporesstructure, which made it exhibit excellent catalytic activity in DCPD hydrogenation reaction. When the reaction temperature was 25℃, the conversion of DCPD was 99.9 % and the yield of endo-THDCPD was 99.9 %.

Key words: dicyclopentadiene, Ni@SiO₂ catalyst, low temperature hydrogenation, nickel phyllosilicate