Planar chromatography, performed with a thin stationary phase coated onto a supporting material like glass, plastic, or aluminum foil, offers a quick and efficient method for separating complex mixtures. A common example utilizes a thin layer of silica gel as the stationary phase, with a solvent mixture migrating across the plate via capillary action, carrying the sample components at different rates based on their interactions with both the stationary and mobile phases.
This analytical technique provides several advantages, including low cost, rapid analysis times, and straightforward operation. It serves as a powerful tool in diverse fields like pharmaceuticals, forensics, and environmental monitoring for qualitative and quantitative analysis, as well as for purifying small samples. Historically rooted in the late 19th and early 20th century development of adsorption chromatography, this method has evolved into a sophisticated analytical tool thanks to advancements in materials science and instrumentation.
