Aluminium Phosphide

Aluminium phosphide is an inorganic compound used as a wide-band-gap semiconductor and a fumigant. Its molecular formula is AlP. This colorless solid is generally sold as a grey-green-yellow powder due to the presence of impurities arising from hydrolysis and oxidation.

Applications
1. AlP is used as a rodenticide, insecticide, and fumigant for stored cereal grains. It is able to kill small verminous mammals such as moles and rodents. The tablet or pellet typically contains other chemicals that evolve ammonia which helps to reduce the potential for spontaneous ignition or explosion of the phosphine gas.

2. AlP is used as both a fumigant and an oral pesticide. As a rodenticide, aluminium phosphide pellets are provided as a mixture with food for consumption by rodents. Acid in a digestive system of a rodent reacts with phosphide to generate a toxic phosphine gas. Other pesticides similar to aluminium phosphide are zinc phosphide and calcium phosphide.

3. In this application, aluminium phosphide can be encountered under various brand names, e.g. Celphos, Fumitoxin, Phostoxin, Talunex and Quick Phos. It generates phosphine gas by hydrolysis.

4. This product serves as a fumigant when other pesticide applications are impractical and when structures and installations are being treated, such as in ships, aircraft, and grain silos.

5. All of these structures can be effectively sealed or enclosed in a gastight membrane, thereby containing and concentrating the phosphine fumes. Fumigants are also applied directly to rodent burrows.