Nature on planet earth is dominated by poly(phosphoester)s (PPEs). They structure and determine life in the form of deoxy- and ribonucleic acid (DNA & RNA), and, as pyrophosphates, they store chemical energy in organisms. Polymer chemistry, however, is dominated by the non-degradable polyolefins and degradable polycarboxylic esters (PCEs) produced on a large scale today. Recent work has illustrated the potential of PPEs for future applications beyond flame-retardancy, the main application of PPEs today, and provided a coherent vision to implement this classic biopolymer in modern applications that demand biocompatibility and degradability as well as the possibility to adjust the properties to individual needs. This comprehensive review summarizes synthetic protocols to PPEs, their applications in biomedicine, e.g., as biodegradable drug carrier or in tissue engineering, and their flame retardant properties. We highlight recent developments that may make phosphorus-based polymers attractive materials for various future applications.

行星上的自然界主要由聚（磷酸酯）（PPE）组成。它们以脱氧和核糖核酸（DNA和RNA）的形式构造和决定生命，并且作为焦磷酸盐，它们在生物体中存储化学能。然而，聚合物化学以当今大规模生产的不可降解的聚烯烃和可降解的多元羧酸酯（PCE）为主。最近的工作表明，除阻燃性外，PPE在未来的应用中具有潜在的用途，这是当今PPE的主要应用，并为在需要生物相容性和降解性以及调节性能的现代应用中实施这种经典生物聚合物提供了一致的愿景。满足个人需求。这份全面的综述总结了PPE的合成方案及其在生物医学中的应用，例如，作为可生物降解的药物载体或在组织工程中使用，及其阻燃性能。我们强调了最近的发展，这些发展可能使磷基聚合物成为各种未来应用的有吸引力的材料。