Preparation of some metal phosphides by ball milling

Mechanochemical reactions were investigated in the Ni–P and Al–P systems. At the Ni80P20 composition, the product is either an amorphous alloy or a mixture of crystalline phosphides, depending on the milling intensity. The reaction turns into a self-sustaining process between 25 and 40 at.% phosphorus. Surprisingly, the much more exothermic formation of AlP takes place as a gradual process.