Hypophosphorous acid (and its salts) are used to reduce metal salts back into bulk metals. It is effective for various transition metals ions (i.e. those of: Co, Cu, Ag, Mn, Pt) but is most commonly used to reduce nickel. This forms the basis of electroless nickel plating (Ni–P), which is the single largest industrial application of hypophosphites. For this application it is principally used as a salt (sodium hypophosphite).