The adsorbent used in chromatographic techniques is

In chromatography, the adsorbent serves as the stationary phase that facilitates the separation of components in a mixture based on their varying degrees of adsorption. Silica gel (SiO2) is the most widely used adsorbent in laboratory techniques such as Column Chromatography and Thin Layer Chromatography (TLC). It is highly effective due to its large surface area, porous structure, and polar silanol groups, which interact differently with various chemical compounds. Alumina (Al2O3) is another common alternative. While glass wool is often used as a support or plug at the bottom of a chromatography column to hold the adsorbent in place, it does not act as the adsorbent itself. Mica and clay are not standard materials for general chromatographic separations.