Planar Dielectrochromatography on Non-Wetted Thin Layers

Summary Some of the physical properties of dielectric liquids are influenced by electric fields. Interesting results were obtained in this work by applying external alternating electric fields to chromatographic media (paper or TLC plates) filled with dielectric liquids. Capillary tubes were used to enable understanding of the flow phenomena which occur in porous media. It was observed that the displacement velocity of the liquids confined in the capillary tubes depended on the magnitude of the alternating electric field, the electric properties (conductivity, permittivity) of the liquids, the frequency of the current, the tube diameters, the shapes of the molecules, and the tube material. Evident electrokinetic effects (dielectroosmotic flow) were observed on silica gel layers and paper strips developed with non-polar and polar solvents. As a result the separation resolution of non-ionic compounds was improved. This method is a hybrid of electric forced flow and classical diffusion; we have named it planar dielectrochromatography.