Fractionation is a research area that involves separating or dividing a mixture into its individual components based on their physical or chemical properties. This process is commonly used in various scientific fields, such as chemistry, biochemistry, and environmental science, to isolate and analyze specific compounds or molecules present in a complex mixture. Fractionation techniques include methods such as chromatography, distillation, filtration, and centrifugation, and are used to purify and characterize substances for further study and understanding.