Finally : cheap DIY selfmade solar cell with common materials !

[hartiberlin]

Here are the single steps to make it:

1. Dissolve 5 Gramms of wet SnCl4 in 5 mL Methanol
2. Place a tile with the shiny side up into the oven
3. Heat the oven at 600 degrees
4. Place a heat resistent microscope slide on another tile into the oven
5. Let it heat for about 10 minutes and pull it out via the tile again when it is hot enough!
6. Spray the glas slide with the SnCl4 solution
7. Put it back into the oven for about 2 minutes and pull it then out again
8. Spray it again with the SnCl4 solution and put it back into the oven again and repeat this process until the desired electrical conductivity is reached.
Due to the heat the SnCl4 decomposes to SnO2.
Don´t breath the fumes and do it only in a well ventilated area, best outside !
9. Test the electrical conductivity with a digital ohmmeter and repeat the spraying-heating process until you are satisfied with the electrical resistance of the SnO2 layer.

Regards, Stefan.
Watch the video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eTLGtgYtL08

and also have a look at this:

http://www.scribd.com/doc/32732511/Research-on-the-usability-of-low-cost-materials-in-dye-sensitized-solar-cells

[Tenbatsu]

Where can one acquire these chemicals?

Can you estimate a price per watt for each cell? 

How long do these cells last before they can no longer produce energy?

[FatBird]

Really interesting.  Thanks.

[tagor]

and also have a look at this:

http://www.scribd.com/doc/32732511/Research-on-the-usability-of-low-cost-materials-in-dye-sensitized-solar-cells

can some body download this file ?

( it is very dificult to read it with scribd ! )

[fatimakhan]

I like this forum…excellent info. discovered it on yahoo. will save it as a favorite.