Description of the institute

The institute was founded as the Kaiser Wilhelm Institute for Chemistry in Berlin in 1912 and became a member of the Max Planck Society in 1949. Like all institutions of the Max Planck Society, the Max Planck Institute for Chemistry performs basic research. In the honor of Otto Hahn the Institute´s second name is Otto-Hahn-Institut.

To adapt to the changing scientific demands, the institute’s main research has undergone multiple changes during its 90 years of existence. While classical chemistry was practised in the beginning, the focus has later been mainly put on radiochemistry, nuclear physics and mass spectrometry. Since the 1970’s the formation and development of our planet and its environment have been the central issues. The research covers a wide range of topics including the planets of our solar system, the atmosphere of the Earth and its hot core. The Institute explores the Earth and its environment on a range of scales, from ecosystems to the solar system, and from nanoparticles to supernovae. It conducts field studies of natural phenomena as well as laboratory analyses and experiments under controlled conditions, and system interactions and feedback mechanisms are simulated through computer modelling. A short description of the research topics is given in the Institute Reports 2007 - 2008, 2005 - 2006 and 2003 - 2004.