Abstract: The phenomenon of chemical reaction enhancement through exertion of external nonexpansion work constitutes a significant research area in physical chemistry, giving rise to specialized subdisciplines such as electrochemistry and photochemistry. However, quantitative explanations regarding the effect of non-expansion work on activation energy remain limited. Recent studies have drawn increasing attention to surface energy effects on reaction activation energies, particularly in microdroplet chemistry, leading to several novel concepts. This paper systematically examines the fundamental mechanisms of surface energy and other non-expansion work in reaction enhancement, clarifies their distinctions from catalytic processes, and proposes standardized conceptual frameworks. These discussions contribute to correct understanding of catalysis and the nature of surface energy-mediated reaction enhancement.

Key words: Chemical reactions, Non-expansion work, Enhancement effect of surface energy, Catalysis, Activation energy