Silica Gel Column Chromatography

Chromatography and Its Different Types Chromatography is a commonly used method for the separation and purification of different mixtures. It basically involves two steps- the mobile phase and the stationary phase. The chromatography process is explained as follows- at first the mixture, which has to be separated is dissolved in the liquid mobile phase and then placed on top of a vertical glass column. Then it is passed down the vertical column containing the solid stationary phase. As the mixture makes its journey downwards, different components will get separated at different levels. This is because different components move at different speeds and this is the reason behind their separation. The latter is also dependent on the differential partitioning between the mobile and stationary phases. Chromatography is broadly divided into  preparative and analytical. While preparative chromatography is used to isolate the components of any given mixture for further use, analyt...

What is Flash Chromatography? In the traditional chromatography method, the sample, which is placed on top of the vertical column, moves at a very slow rate. This results in a lot of time being consumed in separating the different components of the original mixture. As the sample's downward movements are prolonged, one will have to wait a long time before securing the final segregated components. It is to solve this problem of time consumption that flash chromatography is now being considered as an alternative. Flash chromatography is the best solution to the time consumption problem one faces while working with the traditional column chromatography method .   Flash chromatography works by the means of air pressure being applied on the solvent to make it move faster through the vertical column. As the pressure is applied, the solvent speeds up its movement through the stationary phase and mobile phase. The separation of the components also, therefore, happens fas...