The mission of the International Plasma Chemistry Society (IPCS) is to promote research, to organize scientific conferences, to recognize excellence, and in general to nurture the international community involved in plasma chemistry research.

The Society was founded as a successor to the IUPAC (International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry) Subcommittee on Plasma Chemistry. It was formed by a vote of the Subcommittee on August 5, 1999, at its meeting in Prague, Czech Republic. The Statutes of Foundation and Rules of Governance of the Society were adopted at the first IPCS General Assembly, consisting of the attendees at the 15th International Symposium on Plasma Chemistry, Orleans, France, July 2001

All registered participants at the biennial International Symposium on Plasma Chemistry (ISPC) are automatically members of the IPCS for the two years following the Symposium.