Question

When preparing a TLC slide of a reference standard material (RSM), a solvent or mixture of solvents is used to dissolve the RSM and transfer it into the TLC plate. How does its polarity affects the Rf of the RSM?

Answer 1

The better the RSM dissolves in the solvent, the higher the Rf (retention factor) will be, and the further the RSM will move. If the RSM is a polar compound, increasing the polarity of the solvent will increase the Rf of the RSM. If the RSM isn't a polar compound, an increasingly polar solvent will decrease the Rf.