“ Battery out of Saltwater, Copper, Nails; an Alternative for Blackouts”

An Investigatory Project of the Group 7 (2021)

Presented By:

Renz R. Malobo

Valerie S. Olarte

Leanne Jade D. Penaflor

Lemuel S. Ponesto

Proponents of:

Limay National High School

Duale, Limay, Bataan

Under the Guidance of:

Mrs. Jean Roque

(Research Teacher)

June 2021

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ABSTRACT

In this conducted research, saltwater will undergo a test of conductivity, whether it can help in

producing electricity or not. One of the proven tendencies of saltwater is, it can produce electricity, but

how does it happen? The combination of salt and water, sodium ions and chlorine ions are the

components of the salt, with the water added in it, these two components of salt are freely floating around

carrying electricity, therefore saltwater can produce electricity.

The flow of electricity depends on some materials. The nails and copper rod, these two were the

main materials for this project to succeed. Nails will served as a conductor as well as the copper rod.

These two are considered as conductors in the history of metals, may not be that much strong conductor

but that is not a hindrance to make this project a complete success. Few materials such as bottles, plank,

the tester and the battery charger which is present in our case will served as the assisting materials for this

IP.

The feasibility of this project is determined. The materials are easy to gather and very common, if

ever not present, the cost is not a problem also, since this project acquire materials which are easy to get

or cheap, either of the two. The tester is already present in our case. If ever this IP is a success then it can

be an alternative for a generator but is much more affordable and can easily attained with seemly see-

through expenditure.

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

The group received support, encouragement and good supervision throughout the research and for

that the researcher deeply expressed our gratitude to the following people;

To Mrs. Jean Roque, research teacher, for leading the researchers to a success with your constant

explanation and supervision of the project.

To Mrs. Annaliza Salas, class adviser, for the moral support she had given the researchers during

the construction of the said research paper.

To Mr. Rudolfo Gumayagay Jr., electrical technician, for guiding the researchers in making the

product.

To Ms. Edralyn S. Remetio, secondary teacher, for giving the researchers some advice about the

content of the study.

To the researcher’s dearest family who give their unending love and support.

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

Title Page Number

Title page………………………………………………………………………………... i

Abstract…………………………………………………………………………………. ii

Acknowledgment.………………………………………………………………………. iii

Table of Contents……………………………………………………………………….. iv-v

References...……………………………………………………………………………. 11-12

Appendices……………………………………………………………………………… 12-13

Chapter

1 INTRODUCTION

Background of the Study…………………………………………….1

Statement of the Problem…………………………………………....2

Hypothesis……………...……………………………………………2

Significance of the Study………..………………………………..…3

Scope and Limitations of the Study………………………………....3

2 REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE

Relevant Studies……………………………………………….........4

Related Literature…………………………………………………...5

3 MATERIALS AND METHODOLOGY

Experimental Treatments and Research….……………….………..6

Materials……………………………….…………………..……….6

Procedures…………………………………………………………7

Data Collection Procedure…………………………………………8

Statistical Data Analysis Procedure………………………….…....8

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4 RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

Findings………………….………………………………………..9

Analysis of Data………….……………………………………….9

5 CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

Conclusion..……………….……………………………………....10

Recommendations………….……………………………………..10-11

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INTRODUCTION

Background of the Study

In 1752, a certain Benjamin Franklin performed his now known kite experiment that implements the

discovery of electricity. This experiment administered that static electricity and lightning were one and is

the same thing by tying a key to a kite in the middle of the thunderstorm. From that day onwards,

electricity sparked the curiosity of some scientist as well as other researchers. Moving from that day,

many theories and studies about electricity appear and some of them are proven, just like the tendencies

of saltwater to generate electricity.

Ever since the spark of electricity begun many studies came up like what is stated, just like the study

of electric conductivity which is early discovered in eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. Alessandro

Volta (1745-1827) derived the concept of electrical potential from his studies of static electricity, and

then discovered the principle of the battery in his experiments dissimilar metals in common contact with

moisture. Once the batteries were available, electric currents were produced and studied. Pass through

George Simon Ohm (1787-1854) found the direct proportion relating current and potential difference,

which became measure of the ability of various metals to conduct electricity. Extensive theoretical studies

of currents were carried out by Andre Marie Ampere (1775-1836).

Later in 2008 Carnegie Mellon professor Jay Whitacre, founded Aquion Energy and received venture

funding from Kleiner Perkins Caufield and Byers. He won the 2015 Lemelson-MIT Prize, an award worth

$500,000, for inventing the company’s salt water battery. Salt water batteries employs a concentrated

saline solution as it’s electrolyte, these types of batteries are said to be long lasting and non-flammable

hence it is much more safer to use.

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Statement of the Problem

This research wants to determine the tendencies of salt as an alternative for blackouts.

General Objective

This study is primarily directed to the tendencies of the saltwater battery. This study is sought to

answer these following questions:

a. Can a salt water battery used as an alternative for blackouts in terms of:

1. Costliness

2. Composition

3. Voltage and Amperes

b. Can a saltwater battery produce enough electricity to light up a bulb?

Hypothesis

Null Hypothesis

Ho: The saltwater battery is not effective for blackouts in terms of costliness, composition, voltage and

amperes.

Ho: The saltwater battery can’t produce enough electricity to light up a bulb.

Alternative Hypothesis:

HA: The saltwater battery is effective for blackouts in terms of costliness, composition, voltage and

amperes.

HA: The saltwater battery can produce enough electricity to light up a bulb.

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Significance of the Study

This study is currently mainly focusing in finding alternative when power shortage suddenly approach.

This is just the tip of it but in few years this study would be a substantial one. The researchers can say that

power shortage is somewhat problematic because this whole world is counting on electricity, with this

small project, this study is hoping to at least produce light in your nearly dark abodes.

This study have some valuable conducive asset. These assets were 1.) The availability of materials or

the cost of the materials which is very inexpensive, either of the two when it comes to expenditure, plus

most of the materials were present and are either reusable or recyclable 2.) This research is very safe and

environmental friendly. 3.) This study could also be a spark of a new discovery, in a few years or months.

These three assets is what this study can come up with, they are all advantageous and well-founded for

everyone’s greater good.

Scope and Limitations of the Study

As stated within this research paper, the main reason why this study is being conducted is to give an

alternative, even though a very small portion on being an alternative. This research is conducted with

proper environment and no one is harmed, the experiment is well executed and well-planned following

the right procedures and no one is accountable because nothing is disarray within the whole procedure.

This whole study is conducted in each researchers house and no pandemic protocols is defied also one of

the researchers have an engineer as a relative which makes the study so much more easy.

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 This probing consists of two samples with different amount of constant variable and will be put to a

test and comparison which is success with proper conductivity of the activity, though it could still have an

improvement due to lack of some materials which could improve the result of the study.

REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE

Relevant Studies

In Aquarius Education and Public Outreach about Electrolysis of salt water which is also a study

focusing on salt water tendencies, it is said that electrolysis is a method which separates bonded elements

and compound by passing electric current through them, in saltwater the ionic compound is the salt,

through the addition of water the ionic elements of salt is mixed with the water and is completely

scattered in the liquid. With an electrical current applied a pair of inert electrodes is immersed in the

liquid. It is common knowledge that a positive electrode is called a cations which moves towards the

cathode while the opposite of it which is a negative charged one is called anion in which moves toward

the anode, truth to be told in the law of attraction which is “opposites attract” is applied in this case. It is

denoted that the energy required to split the ions and go to their respective poles is provided by the

electrical power supply which is already present. At the probes, electrons were absorbed or released by

the ions, either of the two, forming a collection of the desired element or compound.

With the study of Victoria Gorski uploaded on the website of ‘sciencing.com’ on April 2018, the

electricity transportation by means of conductivity is clearer, it is stated that conductors specifically

metals contains movable electrically charged particles called as electrons, when a certain metal points get

in contact to an electric charge at certain points, the electrons will move and the electricity will pass

through. Metals with high electron mobility were good conductors than the normal one nor the low one

which is obviously not good for experiments with electrons.

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Related Literature

Another relevant studies about salt water, states about neutral salt water based battery which uses p-

type and n-type solution processed polymer films as the cathode and the anode of the cell, the proven

approximately capacity of electrode is 30 mAh cm to the power of negative three, By engineering

ethylene glycol and zwitterion based side chains attached to the polymer backbone the researchers

facilitate rapid ion transport through the non-porous films. The electrodes also show good stability during

electrochemical cycling, less than 30% decrease in capacity over less than 1000 cycles an output voltage

up to 1.4 V. The said performance of the semi-conducting polymers with polar side-chains demonstrates

the potential of this material class for fast-charging, water-based electrochemical energy storage devices.

One of the proven literature which is also a spark of vast study of electricity is the conductivity of

metals and how electricity pass through them. Metals can be a good conductor of electricity and not a

good conductor, depends on the type of metal is used when an experiment is held. The electrons passed

through the metals and just like stated the speed of the electricity depends on the quality of the metal, the

better the faster flow of electricity. The activation of energy can also be based on the temperature,

because of that the conductivity of the electrolytes is in scalar quantity in the relation between the current

density.

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MATERIALS AND METHODOLOGY

Experimental Treatments and Research

This study is an example of experimental research design. To test the saltwater battery the researchers

made two treatments where in: Treatment A composing four cups of saltwater together with cathode and

anode and: Treatment B composing of six cups of saltwater together with cathode and anode.

TREATMENT A Trial 1

TREATMENT B Trial 2

Table 1: Treatments

INDEPENDENT VARIABLES DEPENDENT VARIABLES

TREATMENT A: Trial 1 Costliness

TREATMENT B: Trial 2 Composition

Voltage and Amperes

Table 2: Variables

Materials

The researchers utilized seven galvanized nails and copper rod, led light, electrical tape. The

researchers also use plywood to maintain stability of the product. Six plastic bottles for the cups, wire (54

inch) for connecting the galvanized nails and copper rod, tester for testing the ampere and voltage.

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Procedures

All materials and equipment were gathered and prepared. Cut the plastic bottles into a cup. Mixed six

teaspoons of salt to six cups of water and poured it on the plastic bottle cups. Glued the cups on the

plywood to make it stable. Then cut the wire by six inch and exposed an inch on both ends of it. Attached

the galvanized nails and copper rod on the ends of the wires. The researchers left one wire with only

galvanized nails and one with only copper rod attached to it. Put the wires with copper rod and galvanized

nails on the cups in series. The researchers check the voltage and ampere of the product using a tester

then connect the led bulb with the exposed wire and fixed one side of it with electrical tape.

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Figure 1: Pictorial Procedure

Data Collection Procedure

The researchers gathered data by conducting a survey where researchers choose tens people using the

convinience sampling method because of the current situation to determine the costliness, composition,

voltage and amperes.

Table 3: Properties of saltwater batteries rating scale

Ratings Equivalence Equivalence Equivalence

(Costliness) (Composition) (Voltage and Amperes)
1 Expensive Dangerous Low

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 2 Neutral Neutral Neutral

3 Cheap Safe High

Statistical Data Analysis Procedure

All the data were put in the table, given the rating of the respondents in which the average is 10% attained

with the use of mean deviation. The level of significance is 10%. The total ratings of the respondents is

multiply by the number of the respondents and then divided by the sum of ratings is equal to the mean

deviation which is 10% level of significance.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

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 Figure 2. Cost Graph

Expensive Neutral Cheap

Figure 2: Cost Graph

Figure 3. Composition Graph

Figure 4. Voltage and Amperes Graph

Dangerous Neutral Safe

Figure 3: Composition Graph

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Low Neutral High

 Figure 4: Voltage and Amperes Graph

Analysis of Data

All the data were put in the table, given the rating of the respondents in which the average is 10% attained

with the use of mean deviation. The level of significance is 10%.

CONCLUSION

The saltwater battery is effective for blackouts in terms of costliness, composition, voltage, and

amperes. The saltwater battery can produce enough electricity to light up a bulb, the more cell in series

results with higher voltage and amperes that can light up a bulb for a longer period.

RECOMMENDATIONS

Considering the corresponding conclusions, the researchers provided the following recommendations.

For the copper rod, the researchers highly discourage using it for it corrode fast.

For the appearance of the saltwater battery, the researchers suggest making the cups a transferring plastic

bottle and paint the plywood to make the battery pleasing to the eyes of the observer.

For the saltwater battery to last long, the researchers recommend using copper wire that is one millimeter

thick.

For the ampere and voltage, the saltwater battery produces, the researchers encourage adding more cell in

series to increase it.

REFERENCES

Bergeron, L., & Bergeron, L. (2011, March 28). Stanford researchers use river water and salty ocean

water to generate electricity. Stanford University. https://news.stanford.edu/news/2011/march/saline-

rechargeable-battery-032811.html.

11
Electrical Conductivity - History. History - Metals, Potential, Studies, and Ohm - JRank Articles. (n.d.).

https://science.jrank.org/pages/2321/Electrical-Conductivity-History.html.

Google.(n.d.).GoogleSearch.GoogleSearch.https://www.google.com/search?q=history%2Bof%2Belectric

%2BConductivity.

RRL about Electrical conductor.docx -

Electrical conductor REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE \u201cSoil is a natural body compromised

of solids(minerals and: Course Hero. RRL about Electrical conductor.docx -

Electrical conductor REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE \u201cSoil is a natural body compromised

of solids (minerals and | Course Hero. (2020, December 18).

https://www.coursehero.com/file/76534068/RRL-about-Electrical-conductordocx/.

Home. Does Saltwater Conduct Electricity? A Saltwater Conductivity Experiment. (n.d.).

https://www.homesciencetools.com/article/saltwater-circuit-project/.

Wikimedia Foundation. (2020, December 20). Saltwater battery. Wikipedia.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Salt_water_battery.

APPENDICES

TREATMENT A Trial 1

TREATMENT B Trial 2

Table 1

INDEPENDENT VARIABLES DEPENDENT VARIABLES

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 TREATMENT A: Trial 1 Costliness

TREATMENT B: Trial 2 Composition

Voltage and Amperes

Table 2

Ratings Equivalence Equivalence Equivalence

(Costliness) (Composition) (Voltage and Amperes)
1 Expensive Dangerous Low

2 Neutral Neutral Neutral

3 Cheap Safe High

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 Figure 2. Cost Graph

Expensive Neutral Cheap

Figure 2: Cost Graph

Figure 3. Composition Graph

Dangerous Neutral Safe

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Figure 3: Composition Graph

Figure 4. Voltage and Amperes Graph Figur

e 4:

Low Neutral High

Voltage and Amperes Graph

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