Silica G TLC Plates

To use Silica G TLC plates, a small sample of the mixture to be separated is applied to the plate as a thin line near the bottom of the plate. The plate is then placed in a solvent or solvent mixture (the mobile phase), which moves up the plate by capillary action. As the solvent moves up the plate, it dissolves and carries the compounds in the sample with it. The compounds in the sample then move at different rates up the plate depending on their relative affinity for the stationary phase (silica gel) and the mobile phase (solvent). This separation of the compounds based on their relative affinities is called chromatography.

After the solvent has moved up the plate to the desired distance, the plate is removed from the solvent and allowed to dry. The separated compounds will appear as distinct bands on the plate, with each band corresponding to a different compound in the sample. The position and intensity of the bands can then be used to identify and quantify the compounds in the sample.