Silica Gel for Column Chromatography

Silica gel is a porous form of silicon dioxide (SiO₂), and is widely used in chromatography due to its unique properties. First, it has a vast surface area which allows it to adsorb a significant amount of substances; Then silica gel is polar, making it useful for separating polar compounds when used as the stationary phase in chromatography; Last, silica gel is available in different particle sizes and pore sizes, allowing for optimization based on the specifics of the separation needed. In column chromatography, serve as the stationary phase, silica gel is packed into a glass or plastic column. The compounds to be separated are dissolved in a solvent and poured onto the top of the column. As the eluent moves through the packed silica gel, different compounds in the mixture pass through at different rates, allowing them to be collected separately and separated at the bottom of the silica gel column. Silica gel as the stationary phase of column chromatography has obvious advantages:

High Efficiency: Excellent for separating complex mixtures into individual components.
Versatility: Suitable for both analytical and preparative applications across various industries, including pharmaceuticals, biochemistry, and herbal research.
Cost-Effectiveness: Generally inexpensive compared to other chromatographic media.

High-purity Silica Gel for Column Chromatography at Alfa Chemistry

Here, we are thrilled to unveil our latest innovation in the realm of silica gel products for column chromatography. To cater to a wider range of applications and preferences, we offer the product in two distinct versions. Each version comes with its unique set of specifications and features, tailored to meet specific demands and expectations. To help you make an informed decision, detailed specifications for both versions are provided below, allowing you to compare and select the option that best suits your needs.

SPECIFICATIONS

Products Name	Silica Gel for Column Chromatography
CAS Number	112926-00-8
Catalog	APB112926008-A	APB112926008-B
Appearance	White powder or granules	White powder or granules
Assay	≥99%	≥99%
Particle Size (mesh)	300-400	80-120
Pore Size ( Å )	70-90	70-90
Surface Area (m²/g)	380-500	380-430
pH (10% in slurry)	6-7	6-8
Loss at Heating	≤5%	≤5%
Cl^–	≤0.02%	≤0.02%
Fe³⁺	≤0.02%	≤0.02%
Package Size	20 kg; 25kg	25kg

In addition to our high purity and versatile product offerings, we are committed to ensuring that our customers experience competitive pricing. By optimizing our production processes and leveraging economies of scale, we are able to offer our customers silica gel products at prices that are both competitive and fair. We are confident that our pricing, combined with our commitment to exceptional customer service, makes us a trusted partner for meeting your chromatography needs.

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Custom Solutions

Alfa Chemistry understands that each chromatographic separation process has unique requirements, and thus we provide a wide range of customization options. From adjusting the particle size and pore diameter to modifying the surface properties, our expert team ensures that the silica gel meets the specific parameters for optimal performance in your column chromatography applications. By leveraging state-of-the-art manufacturing techniques and rigorous quality control measures, we guarantee consistent and reliable results.

Alfa Chemistry is committed to delivering tailored solutions that enhance your chromatographic processes. Contact us today to discuss your specific needs and explore how our customized Silica Gel for Column Chromatography can benefit your research or production workflow.

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Case Study

Silica Gel for the Separation of Carbazoles from Highly Mature Crude Oil

The flow graph of carbazole separation by silica gel column chromatography Lu, Zhongdeng, et al. Journal of Chromatography A 1713 (2024): 464536.

Silica gel has demonstrated high efficiency in the separation of carbazoles from highly mature crude oil, where the low concentration of carbazoles poses a significant analytical challenge. A recent study developed a small-scale silica gel column chromatography method to isolate carbazoles for gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS) detection.

The separation procedure involved dissolving a 110 mg crude oil sample in 10 mL of n-hexane, followed by sonication to ensure homogeneity. The mixture was then refrigerated at −10 °C for 30 minutes to promote asphaltene precipitation. After centrifugation at 4000 r/min for 20 minutes, the asphaltene-free supernatant was carefully loaded onto a chromatographic column packed with 2.4 g of pre-activated (120 °C) silica gel. The column had a packing height of approximately 120 mm.

Sequential elution was performed to isolate different compound fractions. Saturated hydrocarbons were eluted using 20 mL of n-hexane, followed by aromatic compounds using a 9:1 mixture of dichloromethane and n-hexane. Carbazoles were effectively separated using a 6:4 mixture of dichloromethane and n-hexane. The collected carbazole fractions were concentrated under mild nitrogen flow to 100 μL for subsequent GC–MS analysis.

This study highlights the critical role of silica gel as a solid-phase adsorbent, enabling efficient separation and detection of carbazoles in complex crude oil matrices. Its high surface area and selective adsorption properties make silica gel an essential tool for petroleum analysis and compound isolation.

Silica Gel for the Purification of Aromatic Monomers from Lignin Depolymerization Products

HPLC chromatogram of the products obtained from activated silica gel column chromatography Zhao, Ying, et al. Separation and purification technology 191 (2018): 250-256.

Silica gel has proven to be highly effective in the purification of aromatic monomers derived from lignin depolymerization products (DPLs). A recent study employed a two-step chromatographic process involving Sephadex G-10 and silica gel column chromatography to enhance the purity of aromatic monomers for further hydrodeoxygenation into liquid fuel.

Initially, 0.5–4 mL of DPLs were injected into a Sephadex G-10 gel column (70 × 1.6 cm) and eluted with aqueous solutions of varying pH (3.6–10.5) at flow rates between 0.1–2.0 mL/min. The eluates were collected in 5.0 mL test tubes, acidified to pH 2 with sulfuric acid, and analyzed by HPLC. The combined aromatic monomer-containing fractions were then concentrated to 5.0 mL for further processing.

The concentrated sample was subsequently applied to a silica gel column (40 × 2 cm) packed with 27 g of silica gel pre-activated at 110 °C for 1 hour. Elution was performed using different organic solvents at a flow rate of 0.5 mL/min. The eluates were collected and analyzed by HPLC, confirming the successful separation and purification of aromatic monomers.

This study highlights the role of silica gel in achieving high-purity aromatic monomers from lignin depolymerization. Its strong adsorption capacity and selectivity for aromatic compounds make silica gel an essential material for refining bio-based chemical feedstocks, offering a pathway toward sustainable liquid fuel production.

Silica Gel for Enantiomeric Separation of Prazoles by Achiral Chromatography

Silica Gel for Enantiomeric Separation of Prazoles Song, Weiguo, et al. "Self-disproportionation of enantiomers of prazoles via achiral, gravity-driven silica gel column chromatography." Tetrahedron: Asymmetry 24.15-16 (2013): 909-912.

Silica gel has demonstrated significant utility in the enantiomeric separation of prazoles, including (R)-Lansoprazole, (S)-Pantoprazole, and (R)-Rabeprazole, through achiral column chromatography. A recent study highlighted the self-disproportionation of enantiomers (SDE) under gravity-driven silica gel chromatography, leading to the enrichment of enantiomeric excess (ee) in early fractions and depletion in later ones.

In this study, esomeprazole with 76.2% ee was passed through a silica gel column (300–400 mesh) using different eluents. The highest Δee value was observed with an EtOAc/CH₂Cl₂ (2:1) mixture, though the recovered yield was below 70% due to sample degradation. Methyl tert-butyl ether (MTBE) showed a Δee of 30.6%, with quantitative recovery of the starting material. A reduction in silica gel quantity or use of larger grain size (200–300 mesh) reduced the Δee, confirming that silica gel particle size influences enantiomeric separation. Esomeprazole with 88.2% ee also exhibited a strong SDE effect, yielding a pure enantiomer in the first fraction.

This study underscores the importance of silica gel's adsorption properties and surface interactions in influencing enantiomeric separation. The findings suggest that silica gel column chromatography can serve as a cost-effective and efficient method for enhancing enantiomeric purity during the purification of chiral drugs, highlighting its value in pharmaceutical synthesis and quality control.

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