TLC-Thin Layer Chromatography Plates

The Rapid, Efficient, Low-Cost, Technique for Cannabinoid Identification and Mobile Phase Method Development

TLC has been used to identify cannabinoids for many years. It has proven itself as a reproducible, simple, and low-cost method to identify cannabinoids and more recently, as an efficient, time-saving method to develop the optimal solvent system choice for other cannabis chromatographic separations.

Additionally, preparative TLC can permit a user to isolate and collect larger fractions, without requiring more expensive and involved flash, column, or HPLC purification methods. HPTLC provides additional capabilities for analyzing crude samples.

HPTLC can be quantitative and permits easy separation and detection of colored compounds, parallel analysis of several samples on the same plate, and facilitates proper selection of solvent system components for further reverse phase analysis of the extract.

TLC Plates – Normal-Phase

Sorbtech Normal Phase TLC Selection Guide
TLC Plate Type Description Features Types Available
Silica HD TLC Plates
 Silica Gel High Definition Layer (HD) TLC plates feature an abrasion-resistant surface with outstanding dyeability.
  • Excellent separation efficiency due to optimized particle size distribution. Outstanding dyeability and abrasion resistance.
 ✓ Glass
- Plastic
- Aluminum
✓ Indicator
✓ w/o Indicator
Silica XHL TLC Plates
 Silica Gel Extra Hard Layer (XHL) plates feature a newly developed binder system, resulting in an outstanding hardness of the silica layer.
  • Outstanding abrasion resistance can mark a plate with a lead pencil. Prevents damage when handling or transporting plates. UV indicator utilized permits increased sensitivity for trace analysis.
 ✓ Glass
- Plastic
- Aluminum
✓ Indicator
✓ w/o Indicator
Silica G TLC Plates
 This is a soft layer plate that uses Gypsum as its binding agent.
  • For use in QC labs to adhere to European Pharmacopeia recommendations and as an alternative to organic binders used in traditional TLC plates. This softer binder permits easier scraping of the plate to isolate compounds.
 ✓ Glass
✓ Plastic
✓ Aluminum
✓ Indicator
✓ w/o Indicator
Silica XG TLC Plates
 Outstanding wettability for precise colorization results, even with 100% aqueous detection reagents.
  • Aluminum backed plates with minimized flaking of the coating permits easy cutting without damage to the plate.
 - Glass
- Plastic
✓ Aluminum
✓ Indicator
✓ w/o Indicator
Silica Concentrating Zone TLC Plates
 These plates contain a concentration zone serving as a "quick application zone", which allows a quantitative evaluation of chromatograms.
  • Permits large volumes of dilute solutions to be applied. Reduces sample application error and evaporation time of sample when compared to traditional TLC plates, sharp bands produced.
 ✓ Glass
- Plastic
✓ Aluminum
✓ Indicator
✓ w/o Indicator
Nano-Silica HD HPTLC Plates
 Contains a specific pore volume of 0.75 ml/g and particle size of 2-10 µm.
  • Narrow fractionation of silica particles allows sharper separations, shorter developing times, shorter migration distances, and increased detection sensitivity.
 ✓ Glass
- Plastic
✓ Aluminum
✓ Indicator
✓ w/o Indicator
Alumina N TLC Plates
 Aluminum Oxide layer with a pH of about 6-8. Recommended when separation involves relatively nonpolar analytes.
  • Use for absorption chromatography for terpenes, alkaloids, steroids, and aromatic compounds. Excellent separation of basic and neutral compounds.
 ✓ Glass
✓ Plastic
✓ Aluminum
✓ Indicator
✓ w/o Indicator

HPTLC Plates – Reverse and Normal Phase

HPTLC Plate Type Description Features
Nano-Silica HD HPTLC Plates Contains a specific pore volume of 0.75 ml/g and particle size of 2-10 µm. Narrow fractionation of silica particles allows sharper separations, shorter developing times, shorter migration distances, and increased detection sensitivity
C18-W HPTLC Plates Normal Phase or Reversed-Phase separation modes with eluents from anhydrous solvents to mixtures with high concentrations of water. Separation of very non-polar and highly polar substances using aqueous solvent systems. Use to determine solvent system composition for downstream HPLC analysis. Provides additional selectivity’s as compared to Silica Gel plates. Very fast migration times.
C18-100 HPTLC Plates Octadecyl-Modified Nano Silica Layers, Complete (100 %) octadecyl modification, carbon content 14%. Reversed-phase separation mode with eluents from anhydrous solvents to mixtures with up to 20% water. Use for Alkaloids, amino acids, barbiturates, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH), drugs, peptides, flavonoids, phenols, indole derivatives, steroids.
C18-50 HPTLC Plates Octadecyl-Modified Nano Silica Layers; Partial (50%) octadecyl modification, carbon content 7.5% Reversed-phase separation mode with eluents from anhydrous solvents to mixtures up to 60% of water Use for· Alkaloids, amino acids, barbiturates, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH), drugs, peptides, flavonoids, phenols, indole derivatives, steroids. The 50% carbon load is less retentive than the C18-100.
Amino HPTLC Plates Aminopropyl modification, carbon content 3.5% Moderately polar can be used in both normal and reversed-phase modes. Use to separate hydrophilic or charged samples, vitamins, sugars, steroids, purine derivatives, xanthine, phenols, nucleotides, and pesticides.
Cyano HPTLC Plates Cyanopropyl modification, carbon content 5.5% Moderately polar can be used in both normal and reversed-phase modes. Use to separate hydrophilic or charged samples. Steroid hormones, phenols, preservatives.
Diol HPTLC Plates Diol modification, carbon content 5.5% Moderately polar can be used in both normal and reversed-phase modes. Steroids, pesticides, and plant constituents, less sensitive than silica to the water environment.

Preparative TLC Plates

Need Specific product chart

Essential Accessories for TLC Plate Chromatography

Need Specific product chart