Chemical reactions are often slow and depend on catalysts. This research shows that simply applying electrical charge to a catalyst—without using energy—dramatically accelerates reactions, increasing rates tenfold for every 60 mV. A AA battery can reduce a universe-long reaction to one second, offering a powerful, sustainable route for chemical manufacturing.

This research designs simplified, custom-built proteins to understand how natural proteins work and to create new biocatalysts. By choosing a desired function and designing the amino-acid sequence and structure from scratch, the project aims to develop clean, efficient protein-based alternatives to environmentally harmful industrial chemistry.