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TLC Notes

Thin Layer Chromatography (TLC) is an analytical technique used for separating and identifying compounds, as well as checking purity, utilizing a stationary phase of adsorbent on a flat surface. The procedure involves applying a sample to a TLC plate, allowing a solvent to carry the sample components upward, and visualizing the results. TLC is fast, inexpensive, and suitable for various applications, but it has limitations in quantification and is not ideal for volatile compounds.

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168 views3 pages

TLC Notes

Thin Layer Chromatography (TLC) is an analytical technique used for separating and identifying compounds, as well as checking purity, utilizing a stationary phase of adsorbent on a flat surface. The procedure involves applying a sample to a TLC plate, allowing a solvent to carry the sample components upward, and visualizing the results. TLC is fast, inexpensive, and suitable for various applications, but it has limitations in quantification and is not ideal for volatile compounds.

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amena562crash
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© © All Rights Reserved
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Absolutely!

Here are clear and concise study notes on Thin Layer Chromatography (TLC) –
great for exam prep or revision.

🧪 Thin Layer Chromatography (TLC) – Study Notes

🔹 What is TLC?

 Thin Layer Chromatography is an analytical technique used to:


o Separate mixtures of compounds
o Identify substances
o Check purity
 It’s a type of chromatography where the stationary phase is a thin layer of adsorbent
(like silica gel or alumina) on a flat surface (usually glass, plastic, or metal).

🔹 Basic Setup

 Stationary phase: A thin coating of silica gel or alumina on a flat plate


 Mobile phase: A solvent or solvent mixture that moves up the plate by capillary action

🔹 TLC Procedure

1. Prepare the TLC plate: Draw a pencil line (baseline) near the bottom.
2. Apply the sample: Use a capillary tube to spot a small amount of the sample on the line.
3. Place the plate in solvent: The solvent level must be below the spot.
4. Let the solvent rise: It carries the sample components upward at different rates.
5. Remove and mark: When the solvent front nears the top, remove the plate and mark the
solvent front.
6. Visualize spots: Some spots are visible; others may need UV light or a staining agent to
see.

🔹 How It Works

 Different compounds travel at different speeds depending on:


o Their affinity to the stationary phase (how strongly they stick to it)
o Their solubility in the solvent
 More polar compounds usually move less if the stationary phase is polar (like silica).
🔹 Rf Value (Retention Factor)

 Each compound has a characteristic Rf value in a given solvent system:

Rf=Distance travelled by the compoundDistance travelled by the solvent frontR_f = \


frac{\text{Distance travelled by the compound}}{\text{Distance travelled by the solvent
front}}

 Rf values are unitless and always between 0 and 1


 Useful for identifying unknowns by comparing with standards

🔹 Applications of TLC

✔️Check purity of a substance


✔️Identify compounds in a mixture
✔️Monitor reaction progress
✔️Used in forensic science, food analysis, pharmaceuticals

🔹 Advantages of TLC

 ✔️Fast and easy to use


 ✔️Requires very small amounts of sample
 ✔️Inexpensive
 ✔️Can analyze multiple samples simultaneously

🔹 Limitations

 ❌ Mostly qualitative, not very accurate for quantifying amounts


 ❌ Rf values vary with solvent, temperature, and adsorbent
 ❌ Not suitable for volatile or thermally unstable compounds

📝 Quick Recap Table

Term Definition
TLC Technique to separate/identify compounds
Term Definition
Stationary phase Silica/alumina coating on plate
Mobile phase Solvent that moves up the plate
Rf value Ratio of spot distance to solvent front
Capillary action Movement of solvent up the plate

Would you like a diagram or a sample TLC question to practice?

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