Adsorption chromatography

Adsorption versus Absorption:

In absorption one substance penetrate in to the bulk of another substance. Adsorption is a surface phenomenon where interaction takes place only on the surface of one substance.

Definition
Chromatography in which separation is based mainly on differences between the adsorption affinities of the sample components for the surface of an active solid.

Stationary phases
The stationary phase in adsorption Chromatography is called "Adsorbent" The Ideal adsorbent must fulfill the following requirements: Insoluble in mobile phase. Inert to solutes (adsorptive).

Colorless especially when work with colored mixtures.

Suitable particle size enough to give good separation and reasonable flow rate.

Stationary phases
The most commonly used chromatographic adsorbent is silica.

Stationary phases
Silica - OH groups very polar

OH O O O Si O Si O OH O

OH
Si

O
Si

O
Si

OH

Stationary phases

OH Si O R -C - OH
Vander Waals & London forces Dipole dipole interaction Hydrogen bonds

Stationary phases
Alumina (Al2O3) : Advantages of alumina: 1. Large capacity 2. Insoluble 3. Readily available

Disadvantages of alumina: 1. Not suitable for base labile compounds 2. Cause rearrangement and ring expansion of unsaturated compounds. 3. React chemically with acidic compounds.

Stationary phases
Types of Alumina (Al2O3) : Neutral alumina pH 7 7.5 Acidic alumina pH 4 Basic alumina pH 10 Activated Charcoal Diatomaceous earth (Kieselguhr) Magnesium silicate

In adsorption chromatography there are two types of forces:

1) Forces attracting solutes to adsorbent (Stationary Phase). Vander Waals & London forces Dipole dipole interaction Hydrogen bonds 2) Forces tending to remove solutes from adsorbent to move with the mobile phase Since these forces are very weak and adsorption is a physical process, energy required to break these bonds is very less. So mobile phase can counteract these forces

Factors affecting Adsorption

Particle size : Affects the surface area and hence the adsorption It also offers resistance to flow of the mobile phase. Smaller the particle size, higher is the resistance to flow, hence high pressure may be required for the flow of the mobile phase Surface activity: Refers to the energy of active site of the adsorbent and may vary depending on the nature of the substance and the amount of water adsorbedTo provide reproducible surface, the adsorbent is activated by heating to expel most of the moisture