Ethane　nonoxidative　dehydroaromatization　(EDA)　to　aromatics　has　been　an　effective　way　of　upgrading　shale　gas.　In　this　work,　cobalt-modified　zeolite　catalysts　are　synthesized　and　applied　to　catalyze　ethane　to　aromatics.　Reaction　conditions,　zeolite　topology,　Co　content,　Al　content　and　catalyst　synthesis　strategies　are　optimized　and　investigated　systemically,　in　which　the　catalyst　with　2.0　wt%Co　over　ZSM-5,　SiO2/Al2O3　ratio　of　60　presents　the　highest　aromatization　performance　(0.0169　mmol　aromatics.s(-1).　g(Co)(-1))　and　the　lowest　catalyst　deactivation　rate　(0.052　h(-1)).　According　to　systematic　characterizations,　it　is　found　that　the　tetrahedral　Co2+　species　is　not　only　the　active　center　of　ethane　dehydrogenation　to　ethylene,　but　also　is　beneficial　to　promote　the　subsequent　ethylene　aromatization　simultaneously.　And　the　generation　rate　of　ethylene　is　the　rate-limiting　step　of　EDA.　The　existence　of　high　proportion　of　Co2+　species　and　the　appropriate　Br　&　oslash;nsted　acid　sites　of　Si-O(H)-Al　species　over　2.0Co/ZSM-5-60　catalyst　are　responsible　for　the　high-performance　of　EDA.　Finally,　it　is　demonstrated　that　Co/　ZSM-5-IE　via　ion　exchange　synthesis　presents　superior　EDA　catalytic　performance　(0.0395　mmol　aromatics.s(-1).　g(Co)(-1))　compared　with　incipient　wetness　impregnation　method,　which　comes　from　more　highly　dispersed　and　anti　-reduction　Co(2+　)species　over　Co/ZSM-5-IE.