What is Thin Layer Chromatography (TLC)? Definition and Meaning

 Definition of Thin Layer Chromatography (TLC):

• Thin layer chromatography (TLC) is a chromatographic technique in which the components of a mixture are separated on a thin layer of adsorbent material coated on a flat plate using a suitable solvent.
• This technique separates mixture components on a thin, uniform coating of solid adsorbent, commonly silica gel or alumina, fixed to a flat plate while a liquid solvent moves upward by capillary action. 
• It operates on a planar adsorbent layer spread over a rigid support, where differences in component interaction with the surface cause them to migrate at different rates as the solvent flows. 
• The method uses an adsorbent-coated plate as the stationary surface and a suitable liquid as the mobile phase, allowing mixture components to separate as the solvent travels across the layer. 
• Separation is achieved by placing a flat plate coated with a thin adsorbent layer in a solvent system, causing components of a mixture to redistribute along the surface during solvent movement.