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.