Co-based　catalysts　have　attracted　much　attention　for　propane　dehydrogenation　(PDH)　because　of　their　low　price,　environmental　friendliness,　and　high　activity,　while　the　synthesis　of　anti-reduction　Co　species　to　suppress　cracking　side　reactions　to　realize　high-performance　PDH　is　critical.　In　this　work,　different　Co　species　over　Silicalite-1　are　synthesized　via　modulating　heat-treatment　atmosphere　and　investigated　for　PDH　systematically.　In　comparison　with　O2-included　calcination　catalyst,　the　TOF　of　Co-S-1-Ar　(41.9　h−1)　for　PDH　is　about　nine　times　that　of　Co/S-1-Air　(4.6　h−1).　According　to　the　combined　characterizations,　it　is　confirmed　that　the　highly　dispersed　tetrahedral　coordinated　Co2+　species　incorporated　into　Silicalite-1　framework　with　Lewis　acid　sites　over　Co-S-1-Ar　is　responsible　for　the　superior　PDH　performance,　while　bulk　aggregated　Co3O4　species　in　Co/S-1-Air　has　much　lower　catalytic　performance.　Through　in-situ　FT-IR　characterization,　it　is　revealed　that　Co2+　species　over　Co-S-1-Ar　is　incorporated　into　Silicalite-1　framework　via　replacing　the　silanol　nests　of　Silicalite-1,　in　which　the　Co　precursors　are　driven　by　Ar　to　reach　the　silanol　nests　highly　dispersed　and　then　further　anchored　by　silanol　nests　and　incorporated　Silicalie-1　framework　with　Co2+　species　under　high　temperature　calcination,　and　the　other　oxygen-free　calcination　atmosphere,　such　as　H2　and　vacuum,　are　also　intensified　to　be　practicable.　©　2022　Elsevier　B.V.