
Oriented electric fields as future smart reagents in chemistry [pdf] - apsec112
http://jupiter.chem.uoa.gr/thanost/papers/papers1/NatChem_8(2016)1091.pdf
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seiferteric
Wow this looks cool. I didn't know there was a name for this but have had some
crazy idea in my head for a few years now along similar lines. My thinking is,
all chemical interactions are electromagnetic in nature right? If you could
control electromagnetic fields at a small enough scale and at high enough
frequencies (i.e. at rates important in chemistry like infrared-x ray) could
you not mediate chemical reactions "synthetically"? I imagine something like a
"fabric" of electromagnetic transducers (antenna) and transistors along a
surface that could both transmit and sense particle states. Obviously, this
would require insane improvements in technology, like switching speeds and
computation, but is it theoretically possible? Perhaps it could use a
computing model similar to a cellular automata to distribute across the
"fabric" in order to react fast enough to mediate the chemical reactions.
Perhaps it would need to be superconductive in order to have the necessary
sensitivity/efficiency? Ultimately could it be used to do things like act as a
"perfect" catalyst for electrolysis for example...? or even build things up
from the atomic level a la a replicator :) ?

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pharke
I wonder if you could do this at a fairly macro scale with lots of reactant.
I'm thinking along the lines of an electromagnetic enzyme. The goal wouldn't
be to build things up from the atomic level or pick and place atoms but to
speed up naturally occurring reactions the way enzymes do. As long as you
could line the fields up properly or switch them fast enough you would be able
to nudge the reactions along. You'd need some way to pump the product out to
the next step but you might be able to select for it with a field as well.

Edit: after reading further into the paper I see that this is close to what
they have in mind

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dr_dshiv
One crude example is the use of radio frequencies to catalyze hydrolysis in
salt water, without electrodes [1] . If you've never seen the "burning water“
YouTube videos, you won't believe it. Actually, _especially_ if you've seen
the videos, you won't believe it.

John Kanzius, the Erie, PA inventor is sometimes accused of making it sound
like more energy is extracted from the water than put in. He never says or
implies this (it's a net loss, obviously, like regular hydrolysis) , though
the local news station describes the possibilty of fueling your car with salt
water <smack> [2]. Still, amazing to watch salt water burn.

[1] Roy, R., Rao, M. L., & Kanzius, J. (2008). Observations of polarised RF
radiation catalysis of dissociation of H2O-NaCl solutions. Materials Research
Innovations, 12(1), 3.

[2] [https://youtu.be/aGg0ATfoBgo](https://youtu.be/aGg0ATfoBgo)

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mensetmanusman
Works in catalysis with magnets:

[https://www.chemistryworld.com/news/magnets-that-double-
effi...](https://www.chemistryworld.com/news/magnets-that-double-efficiency-
of-water-splitting-could-help-usher-in-a-hydrogen-economy/3010618.article)

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ncmncm
I have long thought that volume fluid processing -- like filtering out some
particulates but not others -- should involve steps with a mist and an
electric field. I sat next to a pro on a plane once, and he said he had never
heard of anyone trying it.

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squidproquo
Star Trek replicator technology v0.0.0.0.0.1

