Questions about Sympathy

So I really like the whole concept of Sympathy as being the generally used magic system, but I'm curious as to many of the details. Has PR given more of an explanation in interviews or appendices (like Sanderson sometimes does), or are some bits left intentionally vague?

​

So with that said, my main queries are:

1. Although the vast majority of instances we see deal with energy transfer, I was struck by the "chemical catalytic binding" that Kvothe suggests using to bring down a bird when studying with Ben (NOTW). If an Arcanist can transfer properties that impact chemical reactions, how would that work? Is lye consumed by this reaction with oil that Kvothe is referring to? If it is, then this seems like it would either break conservation of matter, or be functionally the same thing as transmuting one substance into another.
2. The main limitation on most Arcanists seems to be their access to a good energy source and the fact that binding has a definitive distance limit. This means Kvothe is often forced to work around the limitation of how much energy he can pull from his own body without killing himself through binders chills. But if an Arcanist can draw energy from an external source such as a fire, why can't they draw the energy they need from the air, earth, or water around them instead of their own body?