Silica G TLC Plates

To use Silica G TLC plates, you begin by applying a small sample of the mixture as a thin line near the bottom of the plate. Next, you place the plate into a solvent or solvent mixture, known as the mobile phase. As the process continues, the solvent rises up the plate by capillary action. Along the way, it dissolves the compounds in the sample and carries them upward. Because each compound interacts differently with the stationary phase (silica gel) and the mobile phase, the compounds move at different rates. Therefore, separation occurs, and this process is called chromatography.

Once the solvent front has traveled the desired distance, you remove the plate from the chamber and allow it to dry. Afterward, distinct bands appear on the plate, with each band representing a different compound in the sample. In addition, the position and intensity of these bands can be measured. As a result, the compounds can be both identified and, to a certain extent, quantified.