What Is Theoretical Plates in Chromatography

Theoretical plate number (N) is an index that indicates column efficiency. It describes the number of plates as defined according to plate theory, and can be used to determine column efficiency based on calculation in which the larger the theoretical plate number the sharper the peaks.

What are theoretical plates in column chromatography?

Theoretical plate number (N) is an index that indicates column efficiency. It describes the number of plates as defined according to plate theory, and can be used to determine column efficiency based on calculation in which the larger the theoretical plate number the sharper the peaks.

How can you determine the theoretical number of plates?

The “number of theoretical plates” N is defined as(1.3)N=(tR/σ)2where tR is the time (or distance) from the point of injection to the peak maximum, and σ is the standard deviation of the peak.

James H. Sterling

James H. Sterling

Environmental Science & Climate Journalist

James Sterling reports on renewable energy developments, climate policy, ecological conservation, and green tech innovations around the globe.

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