Pcs8501

Dynamic light scattering (DLS) was performed on the microspheres using a Malvern Zetasizer Pro to determine the polydispersity index (PI). To prepare the samples, 2 mL of 100% ethanol was sterile filtered using a 0.2 µm filter and combined with 2 mg of lyophilized microspheres. A cuvette (Malvern Panalytical, cat# PCS8501) was rinsed once with filtered dH₂O and twice with filtered 100% ethanol. 1 mL of the microsphere solution was then added to the cuvette. The samples were run in triplicate at 25 °C, an equilibration time of 120 s, and a back scatter angle of detection before analysis with ZS Explorer software.

The size of nanoparticles was measured by using the dynamic light scattering (DLS) method in a Zetasizer Nano-ZS instrument (ZEN3600, Malvern Instruments, Malvern, UK) [71 (link),72 (link)]. The refraction factor was assumed to be 1.33, while the detection angle was 173° and the 633 nm wavelength of a He-Ne laser was used. Samples in water were placed in the glass cell (PCS8501, Malvern) and measured at 37 °C. The analysis of data was performed by using Malvern software.
The particle-charge measurements were conducted with a Zetasizer Nano-ZS, using an electrophoretic light scattering (ELS) measurement technique. The electrophoretic mobility of particles was measured in an applied electric field, using Malvern capillary plastic cells (DTS1061) with a gold-plated copper electrode. Samples were prepared and measured at 37 °C in water. The Zeta potential values were calculated by Malvern software from the Helmholtz–Smoluchowski equation [48 (link)]. The size of amphiphilic dendrons was measured in the concentration range from 0.1 to 100 µM, whereas Zeta potential value was measured only for 100 µM. All measurements were performed in triplicate to ensure consistency.