Depending on the nature of the stationary phase i.e., whether it is a solid or a liquid, chromatography is classified into adsorption chromatography and partition chromatography.
i. Adsorption chromatography :
This technique is based on the principle of differential adsorption. Different solutes are adsorbed on an adsorbent to different extent.
Adsorption chromatography is further classified into two types :
1. Column chromatography
2. Thin-layer chromatography
ii. Partition chromatography :
This technique is based on continuous differential partitioning of components of a mixture between stationary and mobile phases.
For example,
Paper chromatography.
