Polyphosphazenes: Phosphorus in Inorganic-Organic Polymers

Although the best-known examples of synthetic polymers are derived from carbon-based monomers, there exists another large and growing family of macromolecules based on the chemistry of phosphorus. These are the poly(organophosphazenes): polymers with a backbone of alternating phosphorus and nitrogen atoms and with two organic side groups attached to each phosphorus. The methods of synthesis of these polymers allow access to property combinations not found in all-organic counterparts, and this provides pathways to new materials that are important in biomedical research, energy generation and storage, aerospace materials, and numerous other specialized applications.