Hydrodynamic radius of polyethylene glycol in solution obtained by dynamic light scattering

In order to compare the size characterizations in poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) obtained by dynamic light scattering (DLS) and small angle neutron scattering (SANS), DLS experiments were performed in various PEG solutions to ascertain the hydrodynamic radius. Data from the experiments were analyzed by using a method to eliminate effects of PEG aggregation on dynamic correlation functions. The results of the analysis were then compared to the radii of gyration reported from SANS experiments. The relation between the hydrodynamic radius, obtained by DLS, and the radius of gyration, obtained by SANS, in PEG in solution was found to be in agreement with a previously obtained relation for PEG, where the radius of gyration was found by static light scattering.