We did TLC and column chromatography separating methylene blue and fluorescein. The solvent contained mostly ethanol but also had NaOH, and this NaOH formed SiO- with the silica (the stationary phase), which is in competition with the solvent for interaction with analyte.
Could someone explain this competition and interaction? I know that chromatography is based on the attraction with the stationary phase or mobile phase. In this experiemnt, the more polar it is, the less Rf value is. I'm just not sure what NaOH does here and how the SiO- ion would interact with the analyte.