Controlled Chemical Kinetics in Porous Membranes

We investigate theoretically the kinetics of chemical reactions in polar solvents in the vicinity of charged porous membranes. When the pore charge (or potential) exceeds a critical value, the pores undergo a filling transition that can be first or second order depending on the ambient temperature, mixture composition, and other parameters. This filling transition leads to a dramatic acceleration or slowing down of the reaction. Such control of reaction kinetics by an external potential may be useful in applications where catalysts are absent or when fast spatiotemporal response is required.