Classification, Synthesis and Properties:

In the previous section, we have discussed the characteristics which are needed for a gel to be useful for chromatographic work. As like there are different categories of gels available but for general chromatographic separations, gels of a few distinct categories are used. These are commercially available in different sizes under different trade names. They are known either by the basic unit of the polymer or more commonly by the trade names. A categorization of various kinds of gels is given below.

i) Dextran gels (Sephadex)

ii) Dextran-N,  N ′ -methylene- bisacrylamide gels (Sephacryl)

iii) Polyacrylamide gels (Bio-Gel)

iv) Agar and Agrose gels

v) Styrene-divinylbenzene gels (Styragel)

Besides the above classes inorganic materials like silica gel and porous glass are also used.