How to Make a High Voltage Battery

Step-by-Step Guide

1. 1

   Step 1: Gather your materials.

   You will need: two glass beakers, filter paper and potassium nitrate for the salt bridge, aluminium foil and one molar aluminium nitrate solution for the negative electrode, wires and crocodile clips.
   
   The materials for the positive electrode vary.
   
   You will also need something to act as a circuit load, like a light bulb.
   
   One molar = one mole per litre.
2. 2

   Step 2: Dissolve the potassium nitrate in water to form a solution.

   ,,, Bend the filter paper so that it touches the bottom of both beakers.,, The strip should touch the bottom of the beaker.
   
   It should not touch the salt bridge.
   
   You may wish to bend the top of the strip over the edge of the beaker.
   
   This aluminium strip is the electrode.
   
   You have formed an Al3+/Al half cell. , You will need: a strip of copper and some one molar copper nitrate solution.,, It should touch the bottom, but not the salt bridge.
   
   This is the positive electrode.
   
   This cell has a voltage of
   1.821V. , You will need: one molar iron (III) nitrate (Fe(NO3)3) solution, one molar iron (II) nitrate (Fe(NO3)2) solution, and a conductive graphite rod.,, It should not touch the salt bridge.
   
   This is the positive electrode.
   
   This cell has a voltage of
   2.432V. , You will need: one molar potassium dichromate solution, one molar nitric acid, one molar chromium nitrate solution, and a conductive graphite rod., One measure should be the largest amount that you can add without the beaker overflowing after everything is added., It should not touch the salt bridge.
   
   This is the positive electrode.
   
   This cell has a voltage of
   2.992V. , You will need: one molar potassium permanganate solution, one molar nitric acid, one molar manganese nitrate solution, and a conductive graphite rod., One measure should be the largest amount that you can add without the beaker overflowing after everything is added., It should not touch the salt bridge.
   
   This is the positive electrode.
   
   This cell has a voltage of
   3.172V. ,, The bulb should light up.
3. 3

   Step 3: Cut out a strip of filter paper.

4. 4

   Step 4: Soak the filter paper with the solution.

5. 5

   Step 5: Place the two beakers next to each other.

6. 6

   Step 6: Add the aluminium nitrate solution to one of the beakers.

7. 7

   Step 7: Place a strip of aluminium foil into the solution.

8. 8

   Step 8: Gather your supplies.

9. 9

   Step 9: Add the copper nitrate solution to the second beaker.

10. 10

    Step 10: Place the copper strip in the second beaker.

11. 11

    Step 11: Gather your supplies.

12. 12

    Step 12: Add equal amounts of each of the iron nitrates to the second beaker.

13. 13

    Step 13: Place the graphite rod into the beaker.

14. 14

    Step 14: Get the supplies for this part.

15. 15

    Step 15: To the second beaker

16. 16

    Step 16: add: one measure of potassium dichromate solution

17. 17

    Step 17: two measures of chromium nitrate solution

18. 18

    Step 18: and an excess (>14 measures) of nitric acid.

19. 19

    Step 19: Add the graphite rod.

20. 20

    Step 20: Gather the correct supplies.

21. 21

    Step 21: To the second beaker

22. 22

    Step 22: add: one measure of potassium permanganate solution

23. 23

    Step 23: one measure of manganese nitrate

24. 24

    Step 24: and an excess (>8 measures) of nitric acid.

25. 25

    Step 25: Add the graphite rod.

26. 26

    Step 26: Connect wires to each of the electrodes.

27. 27

    Step 27: Connect these wires to the circuit (a light bulb).

Detailed Guide

About the Author