Thin Layer Chromatography (TLC and HPTLC)

Sigma-Aldrich's offering for thin layer chromatography (TLC) and high performance TLC (HPTLC) includes plates, reagents and accessories. Our glass, PET (polyester) foils, and aluminum foil TLC plates are available coated with silica gel (unmodified, nano-silica gel, C-18, C-18 chiral-modified, amino, cyano), aluminum oxide (Alox), cellulose (fibers, microcrystalline) and Polyamide 6 stationary phases, with and without indicator.

TLC Plates
TLC Spray Reagents
TLC Reagent Sprayers
TLC Development Tanks

View all our available products for TLC and HPTLC in the online product catalog.

• Silica gel (unmodified, nano silica gel, RP-18, RP-18 chiral modified, amino, cyano)
• Aluminium oxide (Alox)
• Cellulose (fibers, microcrystalline)
• Polyamide 6

• Glass
• PET (polyester) foils
• Aluminium foils

In the following table you may find a sampling of some of the products we recently added to our TLC product range. For a detailed listing please ask your local Sigma-Aldrich office.

Catalog No.	Absorbent / Support	Pkg	Dimensions	Indicator 254 nm	Layer Thickness	Medium Pore Diameter
71532	Aluminum oxide on TLC-PET foils	25 ea	20x 20cm	yes	0.2mm	60A
89071	Aluminum oxide on TLC-PET foils	50 ea	4x 8cm	yes	0.2mm	60A
94039	Aluminum oxide on TLC-PET foils	25 ea	20x 20cm	no	0.2mm	60A
90066	Aluminum oxide on TLC-glass plates	25 ea	20x20 cm	yes	0.25mm	60A
72375	Cellulose fibers on TLC-PET foils	25 ea	20x 20cm	yes	0.1mm	n/a
78536	Cellulose fibers on TLC-PET foils	25 ea	20x20 cm	no	0.1mm	n/a
89153	Cellulose fibers on TLC-PET foils	50 ea	4x8 cm	no	0.1mm	n/a
73128	Cellulose fibers on TLC-glass plates	25 ea	20x20 cm	yes	0.1mm	n/a
75382	Cellulose fibers on TLC-glass plates	25 ea	20x20 cm	no	0.1mm	n/a
89937	Cellulose fibers on TLC-glass plates	50 ea	10x20 cm	yes	0.1mm	n/a
95412	Cellulose fibers on TLC-glass plates	50 ea	10x20 cm	no	0.1mm	n/a
95413	Cellulose fibers TLC-Cards on aluminum foils	50 ea	20x20 cm	no	0.1mm	n/a
95559	Cellulose fibers TLC-Cards on aluminum foils	50 ea	4x8 cm	no	0.1mm	n/a
73127	Cellulose microcrystalline on TLC-PET foils	25 ea	20x20 cm	no	0.1mm	n/a
95725	Cellulose microcrystalline on TLC-PET foils	25 ea	20x20 cm	yes	0.1mm	n/a
76131	Silica gel on TLC-PET foils	1 ea	500x20 cm	yes	0.2mm	60A
89070	Silica gel on TLC-PET foils	50 ea	4x 8cm	yes	0.25mm	60A
70643	Silica gel on TLC-Cards on aluminum foils	50 ea	4x 8cm	yes	0.2mm	60A
70644	Silica gel on TLC-Cards on aluminum foils	50 ea	5x10 cm	no	0.2mm	60A
91835	Silica gel on TLC-Cards on aluminum foils	50 ea	5x10 cm	yes	0.2mm	60A

TLC Spray Reagents

To visualize the colorless components on a TLC plate you must either use a plate with a fluorescent indicator and observe the plate under ultraviolet illumination to see the samples or your can also use a second method for visualizing the sample spots on a TLC plate: Spray Reagents. These reagents are mixtures of chemicals that, when sprayed on the plate and allowed to react, will cause colorless compounds to change to colored compounds.

The following tables give you an overview of the most frequenty used spray reagents and their applications.

Compound Index
Aflatoxins	Fast Blue B Salt
Aliphatic Aldehydes	3-Methyl-2-benzothiazolinone hydrazonehydrochloride
Alkaloids	Dragendorff's Reagent, Potassium hexachloroplatinate, Phosphomolybdic Acid, Zinc chloride
Amines	Potassium hexachloroplatinate, Ehrlich’s Reagent, Ninhydrin, 5-Methoxyninhydrin Monohydrate
Antibiotics	Ehrlich's Reagent, Ninhydrin
Amino Acids, Related Compounds	Ninhydrin, Folin's Reagent
Antioxidants	Phosphomolybdic Acid Solution
Barbiturates	2,6-Dichlorophenolindophenol Sodium salt Hydrate, Mercuric chloride
Base Metals (Pb, Zn, Cd, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mo)	Diphenylcarbazone
Bile Acids	Potassium dichromate
Cyanides	2,6-Dibromoquinone-4-chloroimide
Dienes	Tetracyanoethylene
Flavanoids and Foodstuffs	2-Aminoethyl diphenylborinate, Bromocresol Green Solution, Antimony (III) chloride
Glycolipids	Orcine
Glycosids	Lead tetraacetate
Glycine	4-Chloro-7-nitrobenzofurazan
Halogens	Chloramine T Trihydrate
Hexylamine	5-Dimethylaminonaphthalene-1-sulfonylchloride, 2-Methoxy-2,4-diphenyl-3(2H)-furanone
Indole Derivatives	Ehrlich's Reagent
Iron	2,2'-Bipyridyl
Lipids	Antimony Trichloride, Bromothymol Blue, Dragendorff’s Reagent, Molybdenum Blue, Ninhydrin, Orcine, Rhodamine B
Nickel	Dimethylglyoxime
Nitrate and Nitrite	N-(1-Naphthyl)ethylenediamine dihydrochloride Monomethanolate
Organic Acids	Bromocresol Green Solution
Osazones	N,N,N',N'-Tetramethyl-1,4-phenylenediam. dihydrochloride
Phenols	Chloranil, 2,6-Dibromoquinone-4-chloroimide, Phosphomolybdic Acid
Precious metals (Cu, Ag, Au, Hg, Pt)	5-(4-Dimethylaminobenzylidene)rhodanine
Steroids	Antimony (III) chloride, Ehrlich’sReagent, Phosphomolybdic Acid
Sugars and Derivatives	Ninhydrin, 2',7'-Dichlorofluorescein, Lead(II) acetate basic
Terpenes	Phosphomolybdic Acid Solution
Urobilinogene	5-(4-Dimethylaminobenzylidene)rhodanine
Vitamins	Antimony Trichloride, Potassium hexachloroplatinate

Cat.No.	Name	Description	Package size
42810	2-Aminoethyl diphenylborinate	>97.0% (NT), for detection of flavones	1g, 5g, 25g
28213	Ammonium sulfate Reagent	~10% (T) in ethanol/water	100 ml
21623	Antimon(III) chloride Reagent (free of CHC)	~30% Sb, for detection of vitamins	100 ml
75240	Bial’s Reagent	~98% (GC), for detection of glycolipids	10g, 50g, 250g
14454	2,2'-Bipyridyl	>99.0% (NT), for detection of Fe	5g, 25g, 100g
02559	Bromocresol Green Solution	ready-to-use, for the detection of flavanoids and foodstuff	500 ml
23270	Chloramine T Trihydrate	>98.0% (RT), for detection of halogens and bromate	50g, 250g
23280	Chloranil	>99.0% (AT), for detection of phenols	10g, 50g, 250g
25455	4-Chloro-7-nitrobenzofurazan	>99.0% (TLC), for detection of glycine	1g, 5g, 25g
34080	2,6-Dibromoquinone-4-chloroimide	>98.0 5 (AT), for the detection of phosphatase, cyanides and phenols	10g, 50g
02591	2',7'-Dichlorofluorescein Solution	ready-to-use, for detection of sweeteners	500 ml
36180	2,6-Dichlorophenolindophenol Sodium salt Hydrate	>97.0% (AT), for detection of N-substituted barbiturates	1g, 5g, 25g
35620	2,6-Dichloroquinone-4-chloroimide	>99.0% (AT), for detection of vitamin B6	10g, 50g
70382	3,4-Dihydro-3,4-dioxo-1-naphthalenesulfonic acid Sodium salt	>97.0% (T), Folin’s reagent, for detection of amines and amino acids	10g, 50g
39070	4-Dimethylaminobenzaldehyde	>99.0% (HPLC), for detection of hydroxyproline	10g, 50g, 250g
02560	4-(Dimethylamino)benzaldehyde Solution	ready-to-use, Ehrlich's reagent, for detection of amines	500 ml
39090	5-(4-Dimethylaminobenzylidene)rhodanine	>98.0% (S), for detection of Ag, Au, Cu, Hg, Pd, Pt, Alkaloids and Urobilinogen	10g, 50g
39220	5-Dimethylaminonaphthalene-1-sulfonylchloride	>99.0% (HPLC), for detection of hexylamine	1g, 5g, 50g
40390	Dimethylglyoxime	>99.0% (TLC), for the detection of Ni	100g
42870	Diphenylcarbazone	~97% (HPLC) for detection of Hg, Pb, Zn, Cd, Cr, Cu, Fe, Hg, Mo	5g, 25g
44578	Dragendorff Reagent	ready-to-use, for detection of nitrogen compounds	100 ml
44660	Fast Blue B Salt, for microscopy	Standard Fluka, for detection of aflatoxins	5g, 25g, 100g
02554	Fluorescence Indicator green 254 nm	for thin layer chromatography	50g, 250g
15317	Lead(II) acetate basic	>72% Pb (KT), for detection of sugar	100 g, 500 g
15370	Lead tetraacetate	>95%, for detection of vicinal diols and glycosids	25g
63536	Manganese(II) chloride Tetrahydrate	>99.0% (KT), for detection of organothio-phosphorous compounds	250g, 1kg
83366	Mercuric chloride	>99.0%, for detection of barbiturates	100g, 500 g
64958	2-Methoxy-2,4-diphenyl-3(2H)-furanone	>98.0% (HPLC), for detection of hexylamine	25mg, 100mg
65128	5-Methoxyninhydrin Monohydrate	>93% (HPLC), for detection of amines	250 mg, 1g
65875	3-Methyl-2-benzothiazolinone hydrazonehydrochloride	>99.0% (T), MBTH; for detection of aliphatic aldehydes	2.5g, 10g, 50g
69870	Morin	Standard Fluka, for the detection of Al, Be, Zn, Ga, In, Sc	10g, 50g
70720	N-(1-Naphthyl)ethylenediamine dihydrochloride Monomethanolate	>99.0% (AT), for detection of nitrate and nitrite	5g, 25g, 100g
72489	Ninhydrin	~99% (UV), for detection aof amino acids, amines and aminosugars	250g, 1kg
17975	Ninhydrin Reagent	ready-to-use, according to Stahl	100ml
75240	Orcine Monohydrate	~98% (GC), for detection of glycolipids	10g, 50g, 250g
02553	Phosphomolybdic acid Solution	ready-to-use, for detection of alkaloids	100ml, 500 ml
22260	Phosphoric acid Reagent	~20% (T) in ethanol/water	100ml
79760	Phthaldialdehyde, for fluorescence	>99.0% (HPLC), for detection of amino acids	1g, 5g, 50g
60190	Potassium dichromate	>99.5% (RT), for detection of bile acids and lipids	50g, 250g
60260	Potassium hexachloroplatinate(IV)	puriss.; ~40% Pt, for detection of alkaloids	1g, 5g
02558	Rhodamine B Solution, ready-to-use	ready-to-use, for detection of lipids	100ml, 500 ml
86090	Sulfanilic acid	>99.0%, for detection of nitrites	5g, 100 g, 500 g
87120	Tetracyanoethylene	>97.0% (N), for dtection of dienes	10g, 50, 250g
87890	N,N,N',N'-Tetramethyl-1,4-phenylenediam. dihydrochloride	>97.0% (AT), for detection of osazones	5g, 25g
88960	Thiooxine hydrochloride	~97% (CHN), for determination of metal ions	1g, 5g
02652	Dyestuff Mixture I for TLC, package w.20 ml	for thin layer chromatography	1pc
89580	o-Tolidine	>98.0% (NT), for the detection of Au, Ce, Cl, Mn and free halogens	25g, 100 g, 500g
89760	Toluene-4-sulfonic acid Monohydrate	~99% (T), for acetyl detection	100g, 500 g
93140	2,3,5-Triphenyltetrazolium chloride	>99.0% (AT), reducing sugars	10g, 50g
96470	Zinc chloride	>98.0% (KT), for detection of alkaloids	500 g, 1kg