Beryllium carbide
Beryllium carbide Basic information
- Product Name:
- Beryllium carbide
- Synonyms:
-
- beryllium acetylide
- beryllium carbide
- 1,3-Diberyllapropadiene
- Methanetetrayldiberyllium
- Beryllium carbide (be2C)
- Einecs 208-050-7
- Beryllium dicarbide
- CAS:
- 506-66-1
- MF:
- C2Be
- MW:
- 33.033582
- EINECS:
- 208-050-7
- Mol File:
- 506-66-1.mol
Beryllium carbide Chemical Properties
- Melting point:
- decomposes at >2100℃ [MER06]
- Density
- 1.90
- solubility
- reacts with H2O
- form
- red cubic crystals
- color
- red cubic crystals, crystalline
- Water Solubility
- decomposed very slowly by H2O; hydrolysis yields methane and beryllium hydroxide [KIR78] [MER06]
- Crystal Structure
- Cubic
- CAS DataBase Reference
- 506-66-1
- EPA Substance Registry System
- Beryllium carbide (Be2C) (506-66-1)
Beryllium carbide Usage And Synthesis
Chemical Properties
Red cubic crystal; hard and refractory; density 1.90 g/cm3; decomposes when heated above 2,100°C; reacts with water.
Physical properties
Brick-red or yellowish-red octahedra. Uses: Nuclear reactor cores.
Uses
Beryllium acetylide is used in a nuclear reactor as core material,Nuclear reactor core material: Schwartz.
Uses
Nuclear reactor core material: Schwartz, US 3170812 (1965 to USAEC).
Uses
Beryllium carbide (Be2C) is used for the cores in nuclear reactors.
Preparation
Beryllium carbide is prepared by heating the elements beryllium and carbon at elevated temperatures (above 900°C). It also may be prepared by reduction of beryllium oxide with carbon at a temperature above 1,500°C:
2BeO + 3C → (1500℃)→ Be2C + 2CO
Beryllium carbide decomposes very slowly in water:
Be2C + 2H2O → 2BeO + CH4
The rate of decomposition is faster in mineral acids with evolution of methane. However, in hot concentrated alkalies the reaction is very rapid, forming alkali metal beryllate and methane:
Be2C + 4NaOH → 2Na2BeO2 + CH4