The Home Scientist 024 - Making thin-layer chromatography (TLC) plates

[@mrericsully]

I'm working on my supply orders for school next year and you just saved me a lot of money. Thanks for the great information.

[@RonaldDonald-m7v]

Thanks for the procedure!!! It's criminal this isn't ranked higher. I just made up my first batch. Instead of alumina i'm using perlite that I crushed with a mortar and pestle. I had to add quite a bit more water than 1.25ml per gram and i adjusted the binder accordingly. I'll update with the results once they've dried (fingers crossed)

[@joybaker5621]

Thanks! Great video. So helpful for teachers without much budget!!!

[@KristoffDoe]

It's worth adding that previously reagents like Dragendorff or ninhydrin mentioned in your previous videos work beautifuly with TLC, giving an extra dimension for identification of substances. And even without reagents you can make nice separations eg. dyes and inks (which is used in forensic investigations of documents when there's a suspicion of forgery).

[@zcuttlefish]

Hey RBT thanks for putting this video up! I use this everyday in lab (along with flash chromatography). I had been wondering what the binding agent was (I would think that the solvents would dissolve the binder). I think it would be cool if you talked a little about the principle of TLC bc most people won't have the solvents, uv lamp, or stains necessary. Cheers!

[@skagsux]

Is it possible to use powdered granules from silica gel packs that come in a vitamin bottle or with your new pair of shoes (you know these desiccant packs). Also is it possible to use the immobilized phase you detail with highly hydrophobic (oily, resinous etc) compounds.

[@_shivam351]

Good job chacha

[@wubbalubbadubdub_]

He mentioned that if we don't have access to alumina we can also use cornstarch or talcum powder. So can I use just about any type/brand of cornstarch or talcum powder or do I have to look for something specific? And can I just use it directly or is there some sort of process before? Hoping for a clear answer (I need to do this for a school project)

[@petevenuti7355]

I want to make TiO2 plates for experimenting with organic solar, i assume the process is mostly the same. Would you recommend the same binder? What else? What about sodium silicate?

[@searodrig]

do you have a website where these instructions are listed? That would be awesome!

[@tyt0uoff146]

Can i use calcined alumina or fumed silica ?

[@DutchPhlogiston]

Interesting. I wander how well your alumina/plaster mix would perform in a homemade HPLC-like column...

[@Fordi]

Pretty awesome info for the mad scientist on a budget ^_^

[@tim0090]

1.25ml per gram alumina and 15% of binder ???????????? so 1.25 grams of water to 1 gram of alumina to 0.3375 grams of binder or 1.25 grams of water to 1 gram of alumina to 0.15 grams of binder

[@pauldell6984]

did you ever solve the mystery?

[@earlross8537]

you are a legend, ty!

[@redband788]

Excellent video.

[@XN-zy4xe]

if so made plate will glow in UV ?

[@TheWanderingChemist]

A slide prepared this way will not fluoresce or glow unter UV irradiation by itself (unless your substance is a fluorophore itself), for that you will need a Mn-doped Zn2SiO4 layer which will absorb UV light at 254 nm www.sigmaaldrich.com/catalog/product/sial/02554?lang=de&region=DE

[@petevenuti7355]

No, it's what absorbs into it that does or does not glow. Take several different color highlighter markers and mix up the colors in a small well (a slot as long as the width of the slide that's about 2-5 mm deep or so) dip the edge in , and the different colors will separate into bands and glow under UV as they climb up the slide before they dry.

[@temporarilyjosh]

How much does the binder affect retention? Is it possible to use this technique, using the same binder, with polymer-based reversed-phase media? Thanks for the great demo!

[@spencerburrows3525]

what are the amounts again?

[@BrotherBloat]

rich content as always - thank you!

[@miraclo3]

nice video!

[@0Krystal0Teque0]

what would u use for colouring as most tlc use fluorescent??

[@olympicfan2]

very good!

[@HERBIVOR1212]

pretty interesting

[@annakowalska725]

clever

[@sorathelight223]

sweet

[@aoihana1042]

good blese

[@vevenaneathna]

kewl

[@nehorlavazapalka]

Fail, I've accidentaly arrived at this video while having the TLC plate in front of me.

[@Bluetorchproductions]

looks good, hey if it costs less to make them, make them yourself and sell them online for just under the store price and make a small buck =]