X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy of Condensed Combustion Products of Aluminum and Calcium Hypophosphites

Changes in the composition of aluminum hypophosphite, calcium hypophosphite, and their mixtures with oxidizers after combustion in air under atmospheric pressure have been studied by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). It has been established that the formation of colored condensed combustion products is associated with the formation of the corresponding phosphides. A hypothesis is proposed that the source of phosphide formation is phosphine and its reactive decomposition products generated during the disproportionation reaction of hypophosphites.