Thin-layer chromatography

Thin-layer chromatography is a separation technique in which a solvent carries mixture components across a thin adsorbent layer at different rates, producing distinct spots.

Stationary phase: The phase that remains fixed while another phase moves past it in a separation process. The adsorbent coating provides the fixed surface that retains analytes to different degrees.
Silica gel: A porous, amorphous form of silicon dioxide used as an adsorbent and desiccant. It is the most common polar adsorbent coating for TLC plates.
Thin-layer chromatography in organic synthesis: The use of TLC to monitor reactants and products during organic chemical reactions. Separate spots can show whether starting material remains or products have formed.
High-performance thin-layer chromatography: An enhanced form of TLC using finer sorbent particles and more uniform layers for improved separation and measurement. It refines conventional TLC with greater efficiency and reproducibility.
Mobile phase: The fluid that moves through or across a stationary phase and transports components during a separation. Its composition governs how strongly analytes travel up the plate.
Alumina: Aluminum oxide used as a polar adsorbent in chromatographic separations. It provides an alternative stationary layer when silica is unsuitable.
Preparative thin-layer chromatography: A planar chromatographic method using thick adsorbent layers to isolate small quantities of compounds. Separated bands can be scraped from the plate and recovered.
Column chromatography: A chromatographic method in which a mobile phase passes through a stationary phase packed inside a column. Both exploit differential retention, but columns commonly collect separated fractions.
Adsorption: The accumulation of atoms, ions, or molecules at the surface of a material. Reversible surface binding is a principal cause of different migration distances.
TLC plate: A rigid or flexible support coated with a thin layer of chromatographic adsorbent. The plate carries the stationary layer and supports spotting and development.

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