... a.Desiccantb.Chemistrysilica gel is used in chromatography as a stationary phase. In column chromatography the stationary phase is most often ... elute before more polar ones, hence the name normal phase chromatography. However, when hydrophobic groups (such as C18 groups) are ... first and the method is referred to as reverse phase chromatography. Silica gel is also applied to aluminum, glass, or ...