Melt Electrospinning of Poly (ε‐Caprolactone)/Polyethylene Oxide/Polyethylene Glycol—Hydroxyapatite Nanocomposite Fibers: Morphology, Properties, and Hydrolytic Degradation

ABSTRACT In this study, a ternary blend consisting of poly (ε‐caprolactone) (PCL), polyethylene oxide (PEO), and polyethylene glycol (PEG), reinforced with hydroxyapatite nanoparticles (nHA), was designed and prepared via melt electrospinning. The distinctive feature of this research is the use of a ternary blend (PCL/PEO/PEG) in melt electrospinning, which has been rarely investigated so far. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) revealed that the addition of hydrophilic polymers to PCL results in a more uniform distribution of nHA within the fibers. Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) analyses confirmed the absence of chemical changes and the preservation of the nanoparticles' structure. Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC) analysis showed that the presence of nHA in PCL increases crystallinity. In contrast, in the ternary blend, physical interactions between nanoparticles and PEO and PEG chains decrease crystallinity. Thermal stability tests showed that the nHA remained stable in the polymer matrix, and their migration in aqueous environments was negligible. Mechanical tests showed increases in stress and yield strain. Also, the hydrolytic degradation results indicated a higher degradation rate for the ternary blend than for neat PCL. Overall, these results indicate the high efficiency of the prepared fibers for potential applications in bone tissue engineering.