Max Planck Institute for Chemistry
Encyclopedia
The Max Planck Institute for Chemistry is a scientific research institute under the Max-Planck-Gesellschaft.
Basic research in chemistry and related subjects is carried out at the (currently) four departments of the institute. The departments are independently led by their Directors.
is led by Prof. Jos Lelieveld. The research focuses on the study of ozone and other atmospheric photo-oxidants, their chemical reactions and global cycles.
Prof. Meinrat O. Andreae is the head of the Department of Biogeochemistry. Experimental studies on the exchange of trace gases and aerosols between biosphere, atmosphere and hydrosphere are carried out there.
The Geochemistry
department explores the chemical composition and the temporal evolution of the Earth's mantle and crust. The department is led by Prof. Albrecht W. Hoffmann
The Particle Chemistry department is led by Prof. Stephan Borrmann and conducts research on the physical and chemical processes that determine cloud formation
for Chemistry in Berlin Dahlem in 1911. In this Institute Otto Hahn
, Lise Meitner
and Fritz Straßmann conducted the experiments which yielded the discovery of nuclear fission
. Otto Hahn was director of the Institute from 1928 till 1949. The Institute was heavyly damaged by air raide in 1944 and moved to Tailfingen.
After World War II
the institute moved to the campus of Johannes Gutenberg University of Mainz
in 1949. In 1959 the Kaiser Wilhelm Society was restructured and renamed becoming the Max Planck Society
, the institute was also renamed as the Max Planck Institute for Chemistry. Radiochemistry
, Nuclear physics
, Geochemistry
, Cosmochemistry
and Atmospheric chemistry
were research areas of the institute.
Basic research in chemistry and related subjects is carried out at the (currently) four departments of the institute. The departments are independently led by their Directors.
The departments
The department of Atmospheric ChemistryAtmospheric chemistry
Atmospheric chemistry is a branch of atmospheric science in which the chemistry of the Earth's atmosphere and that of other planets is studied. It is a multidisciplinary field of research and draws on environmental chemistry, physics, meteorology, computer modeling, oceanography, geology and...
is led by Prof. Jos Lelieveld. The research focuses on the study of ozone and other atmospheric photo-oxidants, their chemical reactions and global cycles.
Prof. Meinrat O. Andreae is the head of the Department of Biogeochemistry. Experimental studies on the exchange of trace gases and aerosols between biosphere, atmosphere and hydrosphere are carried out there.
The Geochemistry
Geochemistry
The field of geochemistry involves study of the chemical composition of the Earth and other planets, chemical processes and reactions that govern the composition of rocks, water, and soils, and the cycles of matter and energy that transport the Earth's chemical components in time and space, and...
department explores the chemical composition and the temporal evolution of the Earth's mantle and crust. The department is led by Prof. Albrecht W. Hoffmann
The Particle Chemistry department is led by Prof. Stephan Borrmann and conducts research on the physical and chemical processes that determine cloud formation
History
The Institute was founded as Kaiser Wilhelm InstituteKaiser Wilhelm Institute
The Kaiser Wilhelm Society for the Advancement of Science was a German scientific institution established in 1911. It was implicated in Nazi science, and after the Second World War was wound up and its functions replaced by the Max Planck Society...
for Chemistry in Berlin Dahlem in 1911. In this Institute Otto Hahn
Otto Hahn
Otto Hahn FRS was a German chemist and Nobel laureate, a pioneer in the fields of radioactivity and radiochemistry. He is regarded as "the father of nuclear chemistry". Hahn was a courageous opposer of Jewish persecution by the Nazis and after World War II he became a passionate campaigner...
, Lise Meitner
Lise Meitner
Lise Meitner FRS was an Austrian-born, later Swedish, physicist who worked on radioactivity and nuclear physics. Meitner was part of the team that discovered nuclear fission, an achievement for which her colleague Otto Hahn was awarded the Nobel Prize...
and Fritz Straßmann conducted the experiments which yielded the discovery of nuclear fission
Nuclear fission
In nuclear physics and nuclear chemistry, nuclear fission is a nuclear reaction in which the nucleus of an atom splits into smaller parts , often producing free neutrons and photons , and releasing a tremendous amount of energy...
. Otto Hahn was director of the Institute from 1928 till 1949. The Institute was heavyly damaged by air raide in 1944 and moved to Tailfingen.
After World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
the institute moved to the campus of Johannes Gutenberg University of Mainz
Johannes Gutenberg University of Mainz
The Johannes Gutenberg University of Mainz is a university in Mainz, Rhineland Palatinate, Germany, named after the printer Johannes Gutenberg. With approximately 36,000 students in about 150 schools and clinics, it is among the ten largest universities in Germany...
in 1949. In 1959 the Kaiser Wilhelm Society was restructured and renamed becoming the Max Planck Society
Max Planck Society
The Max Planck Society for the Advancement of Science is a formally independent non-governmental and non-profit association of German research institutes publicly funded by the federal and the 16 state governments of Germany....
, the institute was also renamed as the Max Planck Institute for Chemistry. Radiochemistry
Radiochemistry
Radiochemistry is the chemistry of radioactive materials, where radioactive isotopes of elements are used to study the properties and chemical reactions of non-radioactive isotopes...
, Nuclear physics
Nuclear physics
Nuclear physics is the field of physics that studies the building blocks and interactions of atomic nuclei. The most commonly known applications of nuclear physics are nuclear power generation and nuclear weapons technology, but the research has provided application in many fields, including those...
, Geochemistry
Geochemistry
The field of geochemistry involves study of the chemical composition of the Earth and other planets, chemical processes and reactions that govern the composition of rocks, water, and soils, and the cycles of matter and energy that transport the Earth's chemical components in time and space, and...
, Cosmochemistry
Cosmochemistry
Cosmochemistry or chemical cosmology is the study of the chemical composition of matter in the universe and the processes that led to those compositions. This is done primarily through the study of the chemical composition of meteorites and other physical samples...
and Atmospheric chemistry
Atmospheric chemistry
Atmospheric chemistry is a branch of atmospheric science in which the chemistry of the Earth's atmosphere and that of other planets is studied. It is a multidisciplinary field of research and draws on environmental chemistry, physics, meteorology, computer modeling, oceanography, geology and...
were research areas of the institute.
Kaiser Wilhelm Institute for Chemistry
- 1912 Ernst Beckmann
- 1912 - 1916 Richard WillstätterRichard WillstätterRichard Martin Willstätter was a German organic chemist whose study of the structure of plant pigments, chlorophyll included, won him the 1915 Nobel Prize for Chemistry. Willstätter invented paper chromatography independently of Mikhail Tsvet.-Biography:Willstätter was born in to a Jewish family...
- 1912 - 1948 Otto HahnOtto HahnOtto Hahn FRS was a German chemist and Nobel laureate, a pioneer in the fields of radioactivity and radiochemistry. He is regarded as "the father of nuclear chemistry". Hahn was a courageous opposer of Jewish persecution by the Nazis and after World War II he became a passionate campaigner...
- 1916 - 1926 Alfred StockAlfred StockAlfred Stock was a German inorganic chemist. He did pioneering research on the hydrides of boron and silicon, coordination chemistry, mercury, and mercury poisoning...
Max Planck Institute for Chemistry
- 1949 - 1953 Fritz Straßmann
- 1941 - 1965 Josef MattauchJosef MattauchJosef Mattauch was a German physicist known for his work in the investigation of the isotopic abundances by mass spectrometry. He developed the Mattauch isobar rule in 1934.-Mattauch-Herzog geometry mass spectrometer:...
- 1953 - 1958 Friedrich A. Paneth
- 1959 - 1978 Heinrich Hintenberger
- 1959 - 1978 Hermann Wäffler
- 1967 - 1996 Heinrich Wänke
- 1968 - 1979 Christian Junge
- 1978 - 1995 Friedrich Begemann
- 1980 - 2000 Paul J. CrutzenPaul J. CrutzenPaul Jozef Crutzen is a Dutch Nobel prize winning atmospheric chemist.Crutzen is best known for his research on ozone depletion. He lists his main research interests as “Stratospheric and tropospheric chemistry, and their role in the biogeochemical cycles and climate”...
- 1980 - 2007 Albrecht W. Hofmann
- 1987 Meinrat O. Andreae
- 1996 Günter W. Lugmair
- 2000 Johannes Lelieveld
- 2001 Stephan Borrmann