CONTROLLING THE RATE OF CHEMICAL REACTIONS WITH ELECTRIC FIELDS

We examine the possibility to slow down or accelerate chemical reactions using elecric fields. The idea is to use the external field to manipulate the local composition of a mixtures of solvents in which the reaction takes place.

The electric field, if strong enough, can lead to demixing of the solvents. If the reactants prefer different solvents then the reaction will be slowed down; if both reactants prefer the same solvents, application of the field will concentrate them in a smaller volume and the reaction is accelerated.