What is column chromatography?

Column chromatography is particularly suitable for separating large amounts of material. In this process, a glass tube, which is filled with a carrier material (the stationary phase), serves as a column. As a stationary carrier material, for example, silica gel or cellulose can be used. The various compounds of the mixture, depending on their chemical nature, interact well or less well with this stationary phase and are thereby eluted in different fractions.

The most important field in column chromatography is HPLC.