Just some random thought here... I was wondering if there are any catalysts that when mixed with certain chemicals create more of themselves, like this science fiction book someone told me about where there was this compound called Ice-9 or something that when put in water it would recreate itself. I have been told that the protein that causes mad cow disease alters other proteins to make more of itself like that.

There’s some talk about nanotech self assembling itself, I recently read an article in the Popular Science magazine that they have made a plastic/metal substance that can bend and flex and go back into its original shape yet conduct electricity at the same time.

Not creating protein, modifying the existing protein to recreate itself.

Not creating protein, modifying the existing protein to recreate itself.

Mad cow's disease is spred by a complex protein known as prion. It's similar to a virus except it doesn't have any genetical code in form of nucleid acid.
It can seize cell's protein manufacturing mechanism and make it produce copies of itself. Prion however can't recreate copies on it's own using leftover proteins, it always needs a living cell.

I've no idea how the mechanics of Mad Cow Disease work out. I'm just wondering why the prion protein need a living cell. Is it because the living cell provide a conducive environment for the protein to work as it contains all the needed raw material and enzymes?

I think nobody knows for sure yet how prions actually work. One hypothesis is that prion can alter target proteins' conformation and making it a template for copies of prion. Then these copies would be produced by cell's protein manufacturing system.