The goal of the present work was to investigate applicability of the expanded graphite (EG) as novel catalyst support. EG was prepared by thermal shock of H₂SO₄ intercalation compounds at 900 °C for 10 s. Intercalation was carried out at room temperature using reagents weight ratio C : H₂SO₄ : H₂O₂ = 1 : 5.9 : 0.08. Expansion to graphitic layers of nanometer thickness increases the surface area of graphite from 1 to 52 m²/g and creates the highly open spaces between layers which can host the metal nanoparticles. Ni/EG catalysts of different metal loading were synthesised by EG support impregnation with ethanol solution of Ni(CH₃COO)₂ followed by drying and reduction in H₂ flow at 450 °C for 2.5 h. The catalytic activity of Ni/EG in toluene to methylcyclohexane hydrogenation as model reaction was tested at atmospheric pressure. XRD shows the distinct diffraction patterns for Ni in metallic state starting from 1% of Ni on EG however no catalytic activity was detected even for maximum tested metal loading (20%). We supposed that this can be related to Ni poisoning by sulphur impurities existing in the EG support. Therefore additional purification of EG from sulphur traces in H₂ flow at 900 °С for 2 h was applied. In this case 20%Ni/EG catalyst exhibited the conversion below 50 °С with 100% performance at 150 °С. One can conclude that EG purification from sulphur compounds results in superior properties of the synthesised supported Ni catalysts.

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