Science Buddies: "Ask an Expert"

How is scrap metal substituted for silicon in photovoltaic cells? How much cost is reduced? I have to think over a concept quickly.

Can a model be made to substitute scrap metal for silicon in photovoltaic cells? Is there a link that will help me about the procedure to follow? I need the details soon as i have to explain the concept to my teacher and get approved by her.

help urgently needed! How can scrap metal be replaced for silicon in photovoltaic cells?

Hi surabhi,
Here is an overview of solar cell construction:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solar_cell
I don't see any way that a metal conductor could be directly "substituted" for silicon semiconductors. On the other hand, semiconductors can include metals, and maybe that relates to your question. Can you tell us more about where you got this idea, and why you need to present it to your teacher? Is this for a science fair project?
Thanks,
Chris

I got the idea from one question presented by some one called loonygirl saying it made a related project the previous year. I need to explain the concept to my teacher. Yes it is a science fair project and model.

Do you mean this "loonygirl"?
http://www.sciencebuddies.com/science-f ... 7&sr=posts
I'd suggest you follow the links to her questions about solar panels and then take a look at the links that were provided to her. If you have any specific questions about the information on those web pages, feel free to ask.
Perhaps the other experts will have some additional suggestions for you.
Good luck!
Chris

Thanks a lot for providing me those useful links.If I make the solar cell panel using TiO2 , what can I light from it and how? Can I light the LED and show to the teachers? Can it be used on a large scale?
I went through "loonygirl's" topic saying she read cds being used in solar cells. Can they be used? And if yes, what is the science behind it?

I know very little about solar cell technology so I really don’t know the answer to your questions. I’m curious, though, how did you happen to come up with the idea of using TiO2? I happened across an experiment that involves making a solar cell out of TiO2 and raspberry juice, of all things. The procedure is pretty well explained, along with video clips, at http://mrsec.wisc.edu/Edetc/nanolab/TiO2/index.html

The same procedure is used in the context of a lab experiment in this document: http://www.chymist.com/TiO2%20Raspberry ... 20Cell.pdf. Interestingly enough, it asks some of the same questions that you do. Like, can your cell illuminate an LED? It also shows how to create an array of cells to generate more electricity.

I know this doesn’t directly answer your questions but part of the scientific process is doing the experiments so you can answer your own questions. I hope these links help. Good luck.

By the way, if you should happen to try the experiment I referenced (or any other experiment for that matter) be sure to use proper safety gear and work with appropriate supervision for the tools and materials used.

Mike

Does Cu2O powered solar cell alse use nanotechnology.Can you help me with some journals, reasearch papers and links relating to the topic? How much electricity is produced in a Cu2O solar cell ? Can we light LED bulbs ?

Once again, I have to say that I’m not an expert in solar cells and I’m not sure that any of the other Science Buddies experts necessarily are, either. But fortunately, you have the internet as a convenient research resource. From a very quick internet search, I found a couple journals and it looks like you can even get a free sample issue.
http://www.elsevier.com/wps/find/journa ... escription
http://www.elsevier.com/wps/find/journa ... escription

I also found a site called energylocate.com that looks like it could connect you to a wealth of solar-related research. If you do some internet searches like “solar cell research”, “photovoltaic journal”, “solar cell materials”, “DIY solar cell”, “photovoltaic experiment”, you will find lots of interesting, relevant material and possibly some good science project ideas.

I think the answer to your questions about “how much electricity produced” and “can it light an LED” is simply, it depends. It likely depends on, among other things, how big the cell is, how many cells you use, how much electricity is required to light a particular LED, the quality of material used to build the cell, and so on. That’s where the science of dealing with variables and results comes into. You could design a simple science project in which you build solar cells with different processes and/or material then measure how much electricity and find out if they light different types of LEDs.

Mike