Macromolecules with Phosphorus Functionalities

In a world dominated by plastics, functional polymers are increasingly prominent materials due to their unique properties and applications. Phosphorus-containing polymers are found ubiquitously in nature, synthetic molecules bearing comparable functionalities can therefore easily interact with biological systems. Phosphorus also binds readily to metals, leading to applications ranging from anti-corrosion coatings to catalysts. Phosphoric acid provides proton conductivity in some types of fuel cells. This book is meant for students and professionals in the fields of polymer chemistry, material science or related disciplines. It describes the synthesis of macromolecules which combine a stable carbon backbone with phosphorus side groups adaptable to applications as those described above. Its main emphasis lies on linear polymers prepared from vinyl phosphonates and vinyl phosphine oxides, plus the polyacid formed by hydrolysis of the phosphonates. Their bio-compatibility and influence on the differentiation of bone marrow cells was also studied in detail. A second, smaller part presents hyper-branched polymers prepared from AB2 monomers bearing one P-H group and two vinyl groups.