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Calcium phosphide

During the 1920s and 1930s, Charles Kingsford Smith used separate buoyant canisters of calcium carbide and calcium phosphide as naval flares lasting up to ten minutes.

Flare

Calcium phosphide is often used in naval flares, as in contact with water it liberates phosphine which self-ignites in contact with air; it is often used together with calcium carbide which releases acetylene.

see also