The　thermocatalytic　alteration　of　CH4　into　highly　pure　hydrogen　and　filaments　of　carbon　was　investigated　on　a　series　of　Ni-catalysts　with　various　contents　(25,　40,　55,　and　70　wt%)　supported　mesoporous　spherical　SiO2.　The　silica　with　ordered　structure　and　high　specific　surface　area　(1136　m(2)/g)　was　synthesized　using　the　StoEurober　technique　with　TEOS　as　a　silica　precursor　and　CTAB　as　the　template　in　a　simple　synthesis　system　of　aqueous-phase.　This　technique　led　to　the　preparation　of　mesoporous　spherical　silica.　The　prepared　samples　were　characterized　using　BET,　TPR,　XRD,　TPO,　and　SEM　analyses.　The　prepared　catalysts　with　different　nickel　loading　showed　the　BET　surface　area　ranging　from　225.0　to　725.7　m(2)/g.　These　results　indicated　that　an　increase　in　nickel　content　decreases　the　surface　area　and　leads　to　a　subsequent　collapse　of　a　pore　structure.　SEM　analysis　confirmed　a　spherical　nanostructure　of　catalysts　and　revealed　that　with　the　increase　in　loading　of　Ni,　the　particle　size　enlarged,　because　of　the　agglomeration　of　the　particles.　The　results　implied　that　the　high　methane　conversion　of　54%　obtained　over　the　55　wt%　Ni/SiO2　at　575　degrees　C　and　this　sample　had　higher　stability　at　lower　reaction　temperature　than　the　other　prepared　catalysts,　slowly　deactivation　was　observed　for　this　catalyst　at　a　period　of　300　min　of　time　on　stream.　(C)　2020　Energy　Institute.　Published　by　Elsevier　Ltd.　All　rights　reserved.