Thin-layer chromatography
![](/Images/godic/202502/16/TLC_black_ink3735.jpg")
![TLC of three standards (ortho-, meta- and para-isomers) and a sample](/Images/godic/202502/16/TLC_-_isomers3735.jpg")
![Chromatogram of 10 essential oils coloured with vanillin reagent.](/Images/godic/202502/16/TLC-Essential-Oils3735.jpg")
![Development of a TLC plate, a purple spot separates into a red and blue spot](/Images/godic/202502/16/Tlc_sequence.svg3735.png")
Thin-layer chromatography (TLC) is a chromatography technique used to separate non-volatile mixtures. Thin-layer chromatography is performed on a sheet of glass, plastic, or aluminium foil, which is coated with a thin layer of adsorbent material, usually silica gel, aluminium oxide (alumina), or cellulose. This layer of adsorbent is known as the stationary phase.