Part 3/10:
The first challenge Paul faced was selecting appropriate materials. He chose copper type 110, a high-purity copper (99.9%) suitable for electrical and chemical applications. Interestingly, he mentions considering a slightly less pure copper (type 101, 99.99%) but settled on the former.
To prepare the copper plates, Paul undertook a detailed cleaning process:
Firing the plates with a torch to burn off any enamel coating.
Soaking them in acetone for several days to remove residual oils and contaminants.
Using a wire brush in small circular motions to roughen the surface, increasing the surface area for energy collection.
He also considers etching the plates to create millions of tiny spikes, enhancing their capacity to collect energy.