I-chromatography yamaphepha,indlela engahlola ubumsulwa bezinto kanye nezingxube ezihlukene. Kuyindlela elula kakhulu futhi ewusizo yokuhlaziya ngoba ingaqedela ukuhlaziya ngokushesha futhi inemikhawulo embalwa ezintweni zokwakha. Umgomo wokuhlukanisa we-chromatography yephepha uyafana nalowo we-chromatography yongqimba oluncane. Umuthi usatshalaliswa ngesigaba esimile kanye nesigaba esihambayo. Isigaba esimile ngokuvamile siyiphepha lokuhlunga, futhi isigaba esihambayo sizogeleza nezinto kuso. Lo mshini uzohlukaniswa ngokuvumelana nokunamathela kwezinto ezahlukene engxubeni yesigaba esimile kanye ne-solubility yesigaba seselula. Lapho uhlaziya ama-pigments, uma kunento engaphezu kweyodwa ku-pigments, izinto ezinemibala ehlukene zizohlukaniswa ngokuvumelana ne-polarity yezincibilikizo nezinyibilikisiwe. Lokhu kungenxa yokuthi izakhiwo zamangqamuzana ezihlukene zingase zibe ne-polarity ehlukene. Lawa ma-polarity ahlukene aphumela ekuncibilikeni okuhlukene kwe-solvent, ukuze izincibilikisi ezihlukahlukene ziwole ezindaweni ezihlukene zokusabalaliswa kwe-solvent futhi zibonakale njengamachashaza esigabeni sokunganyakazi, esingahlaziywa ngokwendawo nobukhulu bamachashaza esigabeni esimile.
I-chromatography yegesi. Ingahlukaniswa ngegesi-i-solid chromatography kanye negesi-i-liquid chromatography. I-chromatography eqinile yegesi ibhekisela endleleni yokuhlukanisa i-chromatographic lapho isigaba seselula siyigesi kanye nesigaba esimile siqinile. Isibonelo, i-activated carbon nejeli ye-silica isetshenziswa njengezigaba ezimile; I-chromatography yoketshezi lwegesi ibhekisela endleleni yokuhlukanisa i-chromatographic lapho isigaba esihambayo siyigesi kanye nesigaba esimile siwuketshezi. Isibonelo, i-diatomite ye-inert ehlanganiswe ne-squalane ingasetshenziswa ukuhlukanisa nokunquma amanani omkhondo we-methane, i-acetylene, i-propylene, i-propane nokunye ukungcola ku-ethylene ehlanzekile.
