Things You'll Need to make solar cell at your home:
- Clean copper sheeting
- Sheet metal shears
- Gas burner
- Tongs
- Plastic scouring pad
- Electrical alligator clips with wiring
- Glass or heavy plastic jar with a wide mouth
- Salt
Step # 1 : Make sure that copper sheeting is free of corrosion. If it is not, clean it or get a new sheet.
Step # 2 : Take the copper sheet and cut a square or rectangle shape from it. This should be the right size for setting onto your burner.
Step # 3 : Turn the burner up to its highest setting, and heat the copper sheet until it is red hot. Once it is red hot, you will need to stay that way for at least three minutes. A layer of black oxide should be form on the surface.
Step # 4 : Use the tongs to remove the copper sheet once it has formed a layer of black oxide. It should take 20 minutes or more to cool properly. Do not handle it with your bare hands until it is properly cooled
Step # 5 : Remove the black oxide with the plastic scouring pad to reveal the reddish pink oxide beneath. You want to remove only the black and keep the red, so be gentle.
Step # 6 : Cut another copper sheet by repeating from Step 2 of this article.
Step # 7 : Insert both sheets into a glass or plastic jar. They should be bent so that they conform to the walls of the jar, but should not come into direct contact. If the sheets touch during operation, the solar cell will short circuit.
Step # 8 : Use the alligator clips to pin the sheets to the sides of the jar. The teeth of the clips should have good contact with the sheets. Clip the negative (black) lead to the oxide sheet, and the positive (red) lead to the clean copper plate.
Step # 9 : Mix up some salt water. Use warm water, and keep adding salt until it doesn't dissolve under stirring anymore. This will achieve maximum saturation.
Step # 10 : Fill up the jar 1/2 to 2/3 of the way with salt water.
Step # 11 : Attach the other ends of the wiring to a low wattage (15 watts or less) light bulb.
Step # 12 : Place the cell in full sun. The copper and salt water solar cell will begin producing electricity in seconds.
Step # 2 : Take the copper sheet and cut a square or rectangle shape from it. This should be the right size for setting onto your burner.
Step # 3 : Turn the burner up to its highest setting, and heat the copper sheet until it is red hot. Once it is red hot, you will need to stay that way for at least three minutes. A layer of black oxide should be form on the surface.
Step # 4 : Use the tongs to remove the copper sheet once it has formed a layer of black oxide. It should take 20 minutes or more to cool properly. Do not handle it with your bare hands until it is properly cooled
Step # 5 : Remove the black oxide with the plastic scouring pad to reveal the reddish pink oxide beneath. You want to remove only the black and keep the red, so be gentle.
Step # 6 : Cut another copper sheet by repeating from Step 2 of this article.
Step # 7 : Insert both sheets into a glass or plastic jar. They should be bent so that they conform to the walls of the jar, but should not come into direct contact. If the sheets touch during operation, the solar cell will short circuit.
Step # 8 : Use the alligator clips to pin the sheets to the sides of the jar. The teeth of the clips should have good contact with the sheets. Clip the negative (black) lead to the oxide sheet, and the positive (red) lead to the clean copper plate.
Step # 9 : Mix up some salt water. Use warm water, and keep adding salt until it doesn't dissolve under stirring anymore. This will achieve maximum saturation.
Step # 10 : Fill up the jar 1/2 to 2/3 of the way with salt water.
Step # 11 : Attach the other ends of the wiring to a low wattage (15 watts or less) light bulb.
Step # 12 : Place the cell in full sun. The copper and salt water solar cell will begin producing electricity in seconds.
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