Modeling of the particle scattering structure factor for branched bio-polymers in solution: A X-ray scattering study

We present a study which illustrates the modeling of the Particle Scattering Structure Factor from Small Angle X-ray Scattering (SAXS) data. The studied sample was a poly(amidoamine) Pamam dendrimers in water solution. The intra-particle form factor P(q) has been analyzed employing an inverse Fourier transformation which allows to obtain the particle pair distance distribution function and to gain information about dendrimer shape. The experimental inter-dendrimer structure factor S(q) has been analysed in the framework of liquid integral equation theory for charged systems in solution. From that, we derive an effective interparticle interaction composed of a screened Coulombic plus hard-sphere repulsion potential, which allow the estimation of the dendrimer effective surface charge Zeff . The present analysis, applied to a Pamam dendrimers in water solution, strongly supports the finding that structures and interaction of dendrimer is strongly influenced by charge effects. As a result, this quantity can be considered as a crucial parameters for the modulation of the degree of structural organization in solution, suitable for a number of potential applications.