The reaction of alkali metal chalcogenides (S, Se, Te) and pnictides (N, P, As) with other metal halides produce the corresponding metal chalcogenides and pnictides.  The synthesis of gallium nitride from gallium triiodide and lithium nitride is illustrative:
:GaI  +  LiN   →  GaN  +  3 LiI
The process is so exothermic (ΔH = -515 kJ/mol) that the LiI evaporates, leaving a residue of GaN.  With GaCl in place of GaI, the reaction is so exothermic that the product GaN decomposes.  Thus, the selection of the metal halide affects the success of the method.
Other compounds prepared by this method include metal dichalcogenides such as MoS.  The reaction is conducted in a stainless steel reactor with excess NaS.
Self-propagating high-temperature synthesis can also be conducted in an artificial high gravity environment to control the phase composition of products.
SHS has been used to vitrify various nuclear waste streams including ashes from incineration, spent inorganic  ion exchangers such as clinoptilolite and contaminated soils.