SEPARATION OF SOME POST-TRANSITION METAL IONS BY THIN-LAYER CHROMATOGRAPHY IN MOLTEN SALTS

A method is described for the use of molten salts as an eluent for thin-layer chromatography of inorganic ions. The separation of some post-transition metal ions can be successfully accomplished through the use of alkali metal nitrate eutectic melts. The mechanism of separation appears to be one of cation exchange with the silica gel used as the adsorbent. By appropriate use of the various alkali metal cations of the nitrate eutectics and the using of complexing anions, such as chloride, cyanide, and thio-cyanate, most mixtures of these metal ions could be resolved. A possible application of the technique could be in the separation and identification of chemical species that are unstable at room temperature but are stable in molten salts or at higher temperatures. © 1969, Taylor & Francis Group, LLC. All rights reserved.