Material, social and semiotic dimensions of the discovery of substances over the history of chemistry

• Applicant: Dr. Guillermo Restrepo
• Subject Area: History of Science
• Term: since 2025
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 563068070

The project investigates the historical development of chemical knowledge through the lens of chemical space, defined as the set of all reported chemicals and their reactions. This exploration is framed by three interconnected dimensions of chemical practice: material, social and semiotic. The material dimension includes chemical substances, their properties, reactions and associated technologies. The social dimension considers networks of chemists, institutions and the political-economic context in which chemistry is practiced. The semiotic dimension encompasses theoretical frameworks, language and communication norms of the chemical community. Focusing on the period from 1800 to 2023, this research seeks to understand how the interplay of these dimensions has driven the expansion of the chemical space. Key questions include the impact of political systems, economic crises and global conflicts on the discovery of substances, their properties and preparative methods. The analysis also aims to uncover historical differences between industrial and academic contributions to chemical innovation. The study employs large-scale datasets from Reaxys, supplemented by bibliographic databases such as Scopus and OpenAlex, alongside historiographical sources. This combination enables a distant reading of historical patterns, contrasting substance diversity at the compositional and molecular structural levels. By examining the socio-political and economic contexts in which chemistry evolved, this project aspires to illuminate how external forces shape chemical knowledge and its dissemination, contributing to a deeper understanding of the history of chemistry and its role in scientific development.

• DFG Programme: Research Grants