The N-Chamber of the New Type for Rapid Thin-Layer Chromatography

The N-chamber, the most often in the method of thin-layer chromatography (TLC) for the separation, is used with the previous process of equilibrium saturation of the TLC plate with the mobile phase (MP) vapors, what, unfortunately, requires about 1 h. For the acceleration of the processes of saturation of the analytical plate with the vapors of the mobile phase, the use of a specially developed N-chamber of the new type containing a specific cassette holder has been proposed. In this cassette holder, a feeding plate (that is a TLC plate, previously wetted by MP) was additionally placed parallel to the analytical plate at a very small distance (0.2–1.0 mm). In these conditions, the process of saturation of the analytical plate with the MP vapors is accelerated substantially, and it passes with the improved repeatability. The new approach permitted to substantially (up to 2 times) decrease the time necessary for the TLC plate development in the N-chamber.