Polyphosphazenes: new polymers with inorganic backbone atoms.

Polyphosphazenes are emerging as a new class of macromolecules that have an obvious future as technological elastomers, films, fibers, and textile treatment agents. However, they also possess almost unique attributes for use in biomedicine as reconstructive plastics or as drug-carrier molecules. Moreover, their possible value as "pseudo-protein" model polymers is an exciting prospect.