Ostwald is credited with being one of the founders of the field of physical chemistry, with Jacobus Henricus van 't Hoff, Walther Nernst and Svante Arrhenius.

[1] He received the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 1909 for his scientific contributions to the fields of catalysis, chemical equilibria and reaction velocities.

[5] Ostwald developed an interest in science as a child and conducted experiments at his home, particularly related to fireworks and photography.

[2][3] During his time at Dorpat, Ostwald had significant exposure to the humanities, the arts, and philosophy, which became a focus of his endeavors after his 1906 retirement from academia.

Lemberg taught Ostwald many of the basics of the analysis of inorganic compounds and measurements of equilibria and chemical reaction rates.

[3] In addition to his work in Carl Schmidt's laboratory, Ostwald also studied in the university's physics institute with Arthur von Oettingen.

[2] Ostwald completed his Magisterial degree at the University of Dorpat in 1877, enabling him to give lectures and charge for teaching.

[8] Ostwald published his doctoral dissertation at the University of Dorpat in 1878, with Carl Schmidt as his thesis advisor.

These included future Nobel Laureates Svante Arrhenius, Jacobus Henricus van 't Hoff, and Walther Nernst.

[2] During the course of his academic career, Ostwald published more than 500 original research papers for the scientific literature and approximately 45 books.

[14] Ostwald's patent made use of a catalyst and described conditions under which the yield of nitric acid was near the theoretical limit.

The combination of these two breakthroughs soon led to more economical and larger-scale production of fertilizers and explosives, of which Germany was in short supply during World War I.

This theory holds that the behavior of a weak electrolyte follows the principles of mass action, being extensively dissociated at infinite dilution.

Ostwald articulated the idea that a catalyst is a substance that accelerates the rate of a chemical reaction without being a part of either the reactants or the products.

Ostwald found that the relative rates were dependent on the surface tension between the solid polymorph and the liquid form.

While the a non-thermodynamically preferred polymorph may crystallize first, more thermodynamically stable forms can continue to develop as the solution ages.

The Ostwald-Freundlich equation takes into account the surface tension of the particle in the system, in addition to curvature and temperature.

Liesegang had previously investigated this phenomenon in specific laboratory experiments, showing his results to Ostwald.

Ostwald then developed a mathematical model for the phenomenon that served to explain the observations and realized how widespread is the periodic crystallization behavior.

[29] Much of Ostwald's work on systematization of color was done in collaboration with Deutscher Werkbund, which was an association of painters and architects.

[3] In 1887, Ostwald founded the peer-reviewed scientific journal Zeitschrift für Physikalische Chemie, specializing in original research in the field of physical chemistry.

[35] "Poetry, music and painting have given me refreshment and new courage, when exhausted by scientific work I have been obliged to lay my tools aside.

"–Ostwald[35]Ostwald regarded science and the arts as having a common aim, that of "coping with the infinite diversity of appearances through the formation of appropriate concepts"[35]...

[42] Initially, Monism was liberal, pacifist, and international, seeking in science a basis of values to support social and political reforms.

Ostwald himself developed a system of ethics based on science, around the core idea that one should "not waste energy, but convert it into its most useful form.

Monist promotion of such ideas is suggested to have indirectly facilitated acceptance of the later Social Darwinism of the National Socialists.

Ostwald died before the Nazis adopted and enforced the use of eugenics and euthanasia as involuntary government policies, to support their racist ideological positions.

[47][48] He received the 1909 Nobel Prize for Chemistry for his contributions to understanding catalysis and for his investigations of the fundamental principles underlying chemical equilibria and reaction rates.

[52] He became an honorary member of scientific societies in Germany, Sweden, Norway, the Netherlands, Russia, Great Britain, and the United States.

Ostwald received honorary doctorates from various universities in Germany, Great Britain and the United States.