Beryllium carbide

Beryllium carbide, or Be2C, is a metal carbide. Similar to diamond, it is a very hard compound.
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:
Beryllium carbide decomposes very slowly in water:
The rate of decomposition is faster in mineral acids with evolution of methane.
In hot concentrated alkali the reaction is very rapid, forming alkali metal beryllates and methane: