Group Members: Jane Elsbeth S. Arabejo Locker no.

: 65
Hannah Mae M. Asino Section: YD
Gicil Kaye M. Barbac Date:08/31/19

EXPERIMENT 8
Paper Chromatography
Chromatography is widely used for qualitative or quantitative analysis, or for
isolation and recovery of the components of a mixture. There are several types of
chromatography; all types employ a mobile phase or eluent (it can be liquid or gas),
which is forced through a stationary phase (a solid or semi-solid). Mixtures are
separated because some components will be more attracted to the stationary phase
(and stick to it) while some components would be more attracted to the mobile phase
(and travel with it). By eye, one cannot know if each ink color is a mixture or pure
substance. Using chromatography, the components in a sample will migrate along the
filter paper at different rates such that they become spread out and separated from
each other. The mobile phase takes advantage of differing solubility or polarity of the
components in order to separate them. This component traveling process is
called elution. Chromatography can be used to separate inks, dyes, pigments in
plants, or used to determine the chemical composition of many substances. With the
use of paper chromatography, a compound or component of a mixture would move up
the paper strip at a rate relative to that of the solvent front. With that, the relative
mobility which is known as Rf (retention factor) would be determined. It is defined as
𝑑𝑖𝑠𝑡𝑎𝑛𝑐𝑒 𝑡𝑟𝑎𝑣𝑒𝑙𝑙𝑒𝑑 𝑏𝑦 𝑐𝑜𝑚𝑝𝑜𝑛𝑒𝑛𝑡
𝑅𝑓 = .
𝑑𝑖𝑠𝑡𝑎𝑛𝑐𝑒 𝑡𝑟𝑎𝑣𝑒𝑙𝑙𝑒𝑑 𝑏𝑦 𝑠𝑜𝑙𝑣𝑒𝑛𝑡

Observations:
Brand of Pen Color of
and Original components Color Distance traveled by Rf
Color ink

1. Pilot - Green Component 1 Turquoise 6.3 0.7 0.11

Component 2 Yellow 6.3 3.7 0.59
Component 3 None

2. Pilot - Red Component 1 Yellow 6.3 0.6 0.09

Component 2 Pink 6.3 4.8 0.76
Component 3 None

3. Pilot - Purple Component 1 Purple 6.3 4 0.63

Component 2 Pink 6.3 1.9 0.30
Component 3 None

4. FlexStick - Component 1 Blue 6.3 0.6 0.41

Blue
Component 2 Purple 6.3 3 0.48
Component 3 None
5. Pilot - Black Component 1 Purple 6.3 0.9 0.14
Component 2 Yellow 6.3 0.9 0.14
Component 3 Purple 6.3 2.4 0.38

6. Titus Axis - Component 1 Yellow 6.3 1.2 0.19

Black Green
Component 2 Mixture of 6.3 1.7 0.27
Yellow
and Purple
Component 3 Purple 6.3 2 0.32

Analysis____________________________________________________________

Brands of Pens and Original Color

Pilot – Green
Component 1 – Turquoise
𝑑𝑖𝑠𝑡𝑎𝑛𝑐𝑒 𝑡𝑟𝑎𝑣𝑒𝑙𝑙𝑒𝑑 𝑏𝑦 𝑐𝑜𝑚𝑝𝑜𝑛𝑒𝑛𝑡 0.7
𝑅𝑓 = = 6.3 = 0.11.
𝑑𝑖𝑠𝑡𝑎𝑛𝑐𝑒 𝑡𝑟𝑎𝑣𝑒𝑙𝑙𝑒𝑑 𝑏𝑦 𝑠𝑜𝑙𝑣𝑒𝑛𝑡

Component 2 – Yellow
𝑑𝑖𝑠𝑡𝑎𝑛𝑐𝑒 𝑡𝑟𝑎𝑣𝑒𝑙𝑙𝑒𝑑 𝑏𝑦 𝑐𝑜𝑚𝑝𝑜𝑛𝑒𝑛𝑡 3.7
𝑅𝑓 = = 6.3 = 0.59.
𝑑𝑖𝑠𝑡𝑎𝑛𝑐𝑒 𝑡𝑟𝑎𝑣𝑒𝑙𝑙𝑒𝑑 𝑏𝑦 𝑠𝑜𝑙𝑣𝑒𝑛𝑡

Pilot – Red
Component 1 – Yellow
𝑑𝑖𝑠𝑡𝑎𝑛𝑐𝑒 𝑡𝑟𝑎𝑣𝑒𝑙𝑙𝑒𝑑 𝑏𝑦 𝑐𝑜𝑚𝑝𝑜𝑛𝑒𝑛𝑡 0.6
𝑅𝑓 = = 6.3 = 0.9.
𝑑𝑖𝑠𝑡𝑎𝑛𝑐𝑒 𝑡𝑟𝑎𝑣𝑒𝑙𝑙𝑒𝑑 𝑏𝑦 𝑠𝑜𝑙𝑣𝑒𝑛𝑡

Component 2 – Pink
𝑑𝑖𝑠𝑡𝑎𝑛𝑐𝑒 𝑡𝑟𝑎𝑣𝑒𝑙𝑙𝑒𝑑 𝑏𝑦 𝑐𝑜𝑚𝑝𝑜𝑛𝑒𝑛𝑡 4.8
𝑅𝑓 = = 6.3 = 0.76.
𝑑𝑖𝑠𝑡𝑎𝑛𝑐𝑒 𝑡𝑟𝑎𝑣𝑒𝑙𝑙𝑒𝑑 𝑏𝑦 𝑠𝑜𝑙𝑣𝑒𝑛𝑡
Pilot – Purple
Component 1 – Purple
𝑑𝑖𝑠𝑡𝑎𝑛𝑐𝑒 𝑡𝑟𝑎𝑣𝑒𝑙𝑙𝑒𝑑 𝑏𝑦 𝑐𝑜𝑚𝑝𝑜𝑛𝑒𝑛𝑡 4
𝑅𝑓 = = 6.3 = 0.63.
𝑑𝑖𝑠𝑡𝑎𝑛𝑐𝑒 𝑡𝑟𝑎𝑣𝑒𝑙𝑙𝑒𝑑 𝑏𝑦 𝑠𝑜𝑙𝑣𝑒𝑛𝑡

Component 2 – Pink
𝑑𝑖𝑠𝑡𝑎𝑛𝑐𝑒 𝑡𝑟𝑎𝑣𝑒𝑙𝑙𝑒𝑑 𝑏𝑦 𝑐𝑜𝑚𝑝𝑜𝑛𝑒𝑛𝑡 1.9
𝑅𝑓 = = 6.3 = 0.30.
𝑑𝑖𝑠𝑡𝑎𝑛𝑐𝑒 𝑡𝑟𝑎𝑣𝑒𝑙𝑙𝑒𝑑 𝑏𝑦 𝑠𝑜𝑙𝑣𝑒𝑛𝑡

FlexStick – Blue
Component 1 – Blue
𝑑𝑖𝑠𝑡𝑎𝑛𝑐𝑒 𝑡𝑟𝑎𝑣𝑒𝑙𝑙𝑒𝑑 𝑏𝑦 𝑐𝑜𝑚𝑝𝑜𝑛𝑒𝑛𝑡 0.6
𝑅𝑓 = = 6.3 = 0.41.
𝑑𝑖𝑠𝑡𝑎𝑛𝑐𝑒 𝑡𝑟𝑎𝑣𝑒𝑙𝑙𝑒𝑑 𝑏𝑦 𝑠𝑜𝑙𝑣𝑒𝑛𝑡

Component 2 – Purple
𝑑𝑖𝑠𝑡𝑎𝑛𝑐𝑒 𝑡𝑟𝑎𝑣𝑒𝑙𝑙𝑒𝑑 𝑏𝑦 𝑐𝑜𝑚𝑝𝑜𝑛𝑒𝑛𝑡 3
𝑅𝑓 = = 6.3 = 0.48.
𝑑𝑖𝑠𝑡𝑎𝑛𝑐𝑒 𝑡𝑟𝑎𝑣𝑒𝑙𝑙𝑒𝑑 𝑏𝑦 𝑠𝑜𝑙𝑣𝑒𝑛𝑡

Pilot – Black
Component 1 – Purple
𝑑𝑖𝑠𝑡𝑎𝑛𝑐𝑒 𝑡𝑟𝑎𝑣𝑒𝑙𝑙𝑒𝑑 𝑏𝑦 𝑐𝑜𝑚𝑝𝑜𝑛𝑒𝑛𝑡 0.9
𝑅𝑓 = = 6.3 = 0.14.
𝑑𝑖𝑠𝑡𝑎𝑛𝑐𝑒 𝑡𝑟𝑎𝑣𝑒𝑙𝑙𝑒𝑑 𝑏𝑦 𝑠𝑜𝑙𝑣𝑒𝑛𝑡

Component 2 – Yellow
𝑑𝑖𝑠𝑡𝑎𝑛𝑐𝑒 𝑡𝑟𝑎𝑣𝑒𝑙𝑙𝑒𝑑 𝑏𝑦 𝑐𝑜𝑚𝑝𝑜𝑛𝑒𝑛𝑡 0.9
𝑅𝑓 = = 6.3 = 0.14.
𝑑𝑖𝑠𝑡𝑎𝑛𝑐𝑒 𝑡𝑟𝑎𝑣𝑒𝑙𝑙𝑒𝑑 𝑏𝑦 𝑠𝑜𝑙𝑣𝑒𝑛𝑡

Component 3 – Purple
𝑑𝑖𝑠𝑡𝑎𝑛𝑐𝑒 𝑡𝑟𝑎𝑣𝑒𝑙𝑙𝑒𝑑 𝑏𝑦 𝑐𝑜𝑚𝑝𝑜𝑛𝑒𝑛𝑡 2.4
𝑅𝑓 = = 6.3 = 0.38.
𝑑𝑖𝑠𝑡𝑎𝑛𝑐𝑒 𝑡𝑟𝑎𝑣𝑒𝑙𝑙𝑒𝑑 𝑏𝑦 𝑠𝑜𝑙𝑣𝑒𝑛𝑡

Titus Axis – Black

Component 1 – Yellow Green
𝑑𝑖𝑠𝑡𝑎𝑛𝑐𝑒 𝑡𝑟𝑎𝑣𝑒𝑙𝑙𝑒𝑑 𝑏𝑦 𝑐𝑜𝑚𝑝𝑜𝑛𝑒𝑛𝑡 1.2
𝑅𝑓 = = 6.3 = 0.19.
𝑑𝑖𝑠𝑡𝑎𝑛𝑐𝑒 𝑡𝑟𝑎𝑣𝑒𝑙𝑙𝑒𝑑 𝑏𝑦 𝑠𝑜𝑙𝑣𝑒𝑛𝑡

Component 2 – Mixture of Yellow and Purple

𝑑𝑖𝑠𝑡𝑎𝑛𝑐𝑒 𝑡𝑟𝑎𝑣𝑒𝑙𝑙𝑒𝑑 𝑏𝑦 𝑐𝑜𝑚𝑝𝑜𝑛𝑒𝑛𝑡 1.7
𝑅𝑓 = = 6.3 = 0.27.
𝑑𝑖𝑠𝑡𝑎𝑛𝑐𝑒 𝑡𝑟𝑎𝑣𝑒𝑙𝑙𝑒𝑑 𝑏𝑦 𝑠𝑜𝑙𝑣𝑒𝑛𝑡

Component 3 – Purple
𝑑𝑖𝑠𝑡𝑎𝑛𝑐𝑒 𝑡𝑟𝑎𝑣𝑒𝑙𝑙𝑒𝑑 𝑏𝑦 𝑐𝑜𝑚𝑝𝑜𝑛𝑒𝑛𝑡 2
𝑅𝑓 = = 6.3 = 0.32.
𝑑𝑖𝑠𝑡𝑎𝑛𝑐𝑒 𝑡𝑟𝑎𝑣𝑒𝑙𝑙𝑒𝑑 𝑏𝑦 𝑠𝑜𝑙𝑣𝑒𝑛𝑡
The inks separated because the different colored ink was a mixture of different
pigments with different molecular characteristics. These differences allow for different
rates of absorption by the filter paper. The ink least readily absorbed by the paper
would then travel the farthest from the starting mark. It can be said from this
information that the different pigments were absorbed at different rates.
Conclusion:
When a colored sample is placed on a filter paper, the colors separate from the
sample by placing one of the papers in a low-leveled solvent. The solvent diffuses up
to the filter paper, dissolving the various molecules in the sample according to
polarities of the molecules and the solvent. If the sample contains more than one color,
it means that it have more than one kind of molecule. Because of the different chemical
structures of each kind of molecules, the chances are very high that each molecule
will have at least a slightly different polarity, giving each molecule a different solubility
in the solvent. The unequal solubilities cause the various color molecules to leave
solution at different places as the solvent continues to move up the paper. Hence, the
more soluble is a molecule, the higher it will migrate up the paper.

References:
Paper Chromatography of Gel Ink Pens. (n.d.) Retrieved from https://bit.ly/2lXdBNi
Robert, K. (2012). Paper Chromatography. Retrieved from
http://chemlab.truman.edu/files/2015/07/Fall-2014-PAPER-CHROMATOGRAPHY-
COLORS.pdf
Joshi, L. (2014). Paper Chromatography lab report. Retrieved from
https://www.scribd.com/document/223027852/paper-chromatography-lab-report
Roger, T. (n.d) Get essay. Retrieved fromhttp://paulvick.co.uk/paper-chromatography-
lab-report/
Wordpress (2015) Chromatography. Retrieved from
https://www.biologyjunction.com/paper_chromatography_report.htm?fbclid=IwAR2R
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