How Do You Make Homemade Solar Cells?
While it’s simple to purchase a solar cell at your local home improvement or electronics store, it’s a whole lot more interesting to make your own. This version of a solar cell may not be quite as efficient as one made from silicon, but it will still demonstrate how the sun’s energy is converted to electricity through a solar cell. All you need is a few supplies and a little chemical know-how. Cut two pieces of copper to the size of your stovetop burner. Clean the first piece of copper thoroughly to rid it of any grease or dirt. Sand it to remove all corrosion. Turn the heat all the way up on your stovetop. Place the first cut copper piece directly on the burner. The copper will begin to oxidate into a number of colors, including purple, orange and red. After a bit, the coloring of the copper will change to black, and a coating of cupric oxide will remain. Cook for 30 minutes. Shut off the stovetop burner off. Let the copper cool while still resting on the burner. Allow the cupric oxid
