Summary
Combining biodegradable polymers with an inorganic phase can yield fibrous scaffolds that balance flexibility with the bioactivity needed for bone tissue engineering. In this work, poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) (PHB)/poly(ε-caprolactone) (PCL)/silica hybrid fibre mats — with and without added calcium — were produced for the first time by combining electrospinning with a sol–gel process that generates the silica in situ. The authors study how different amounts of silica sol affect the morphology and the mechanical and thermal properties of the hybrid scaffolds. Increasing the silica content markedly strengthens the mats: at 50 wt% silica the ultimate tensile strength and modulus rose by about 191% and 614% respectively. Adding calcium produced a distinctive cotton-like fibre structure, and both silica and calcium reduced the crystallinity of the blended polymer, demonstrating tunable hybrid mats for load-bearing tissue-engineering use.