• poly(ε-caprolactone)
• electrospinning
• scaffolds
• biomaterials
• poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyhexanoate)
• polyhydroxyalkanoates
• cardiac tissue engineering

The main goal of this thesis was the development and characterization of highly porous scaffolds for cardiac tissue regeneration using a blend of two different biopolymers. The investigated blend was based on the chemically synthesized polymer poly(ε-caprolactone) (PCL) and the natural polymer poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyhexanoate) (PHBHHx). PCL is an important and extensively investigated polymer for tissue engineering applications while PHBHHx has demonstrated good biocompatibility and attractive mechanical properties. Electrospinning technique was chosen to develop biodegradable cardiac patches with high porosity. The electrospinning conditions such as polymer concentration, applied voltage and distance from the collector were investigated and optimized and subsequently the fibrous scaffolds were characterized. The characterization of the materials involved microstructural analysis and investigation of the material degradation behavior in relevant fluids. Furthermore the mechanical properties of the developed patches were investigated, e.g. stiffness and stress-strain displacement curves and fracture characteristics. Finally cytocompatibility of the blend was assessed in vitro by studying adhesion and proliferative capacity of C2C12 cells on the surface of the fibrous cardiac scaffolds.