Our glass, aluminum foil, and PET (polyester) TLC plates are available coated with a variety of matrices and are available with and without fluorescent indicators. 

• Inorganic binders – Plates with adsorbent layers containing, inorganic binders are not as rugged as those with organic binders, but are generally more rugged than plates without a binder or with a gypsum binder. They are the most water-resistant and compatible with aqueous developing reagents. Inorganic binders are often used for preparative TLC plates because they are soft, allowing for spots containing the target molecule to be easily scraped off the support for elution and recovery. Plates with an inorganic binder are recommended for applications requiring charring for visualization, or when developing or visualizing reagents interacting with an organic binder.

• Gypsum or no binder – Plates with adsorbent layers that do not contain a binder or that use a gypsum binder are generally the least rugged and fractured easily. They are not recommended for use with developing solvents containing more than 20% water. Like plates with inorganic layers, they allow spots containing the target molecule to be easily scraped off the support for elution and 

recovery and are recommended for applications requiring charring for visualization.