Paper chromatography

/ˈpeɪpər ˌkroʊməˈtɒɡrəfi/ noun

Definition

A chromatographic method using paper as the stationary phase, where compounds separate based on their different affinities for the paper fibers and the mobile solvent. It was one of the first partition chromatography techniques developed.

Etymology

Invented in 1944 by British chemists Martin and Synge, who won the Nobel Prize for this breakthrough. The technique literally used ordinary filter paper, revolutionizing analytical chemistry by making sophisticated separations accessible to any laboratory.

Kelly Says

This Nobel Prize-winning technique uses the same paper you might use for coffee filters! The water molecules trapped in the paper fibers create a stationary 'water phase' that competes with the moving solvent for dissolving your sample compounds.

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