Three researchers were awarded the Nobel Prize in Chemistry yesterday for their contributions to the development of metal–organic frameworks (MOFs), which have various applications such as capturing carbon dioxide and extracting water from arid environments. Susumu Kitagawa from Japan, Richard Robson from the UK, and Omar Yaghi from the US and Jordan were recognized for their groundbreaking discoveries spanning the late 1980s to the early 2000s.
The Nobel jury highlighted that as a result of the trio’s work, chemists have been able to create tens of thousands of distinct MOFs. These materials have the potential to address significant global challenges, with applications ranging from separating PFAS from water to capturing carbon dioxide and extracting water from desert regions.
Explaining the significance of their achievements, Hans Ellegren, the secretary general of the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences, described how chemistry tools were used to develop entirely new materials with unprecedented properties. Robson, now 88, experimented with utilizing the properties of copper ions in 1989, leading to the formation of well-ordered crystal structures with numerous cavities.
While Robson initially identified the potential of his discovery, it was Kitagawa and Yaghi who laid a solid foundation for the construction method. Kitagawa demonstrated the permeability of gases in MOFs and envisioned their flexibility, while Yaghi created a highly stable MOF with customizable properties through rational design.
Kitagawa expressed his gratitude for the recognition of his longstanding research, while Yaghi, who was informed of the award while changing flights at an airport, expressed his astonishment and joy at the news. Yaghi’s journey from humble beginnings in Jordan to becoming a Nobel laureate exemplifies the transformative power of science as an equalizing force.
The Nobel Prize in Chemistry follows the award for Physics, which acknowledged contributions to quantum mechanics, and the Medicine prize, recognizing research on the human immune system. The Nobel literature prize will be announced next, followed by the Nobel Peace Prize. The economics prize will conclude the 2025 Nobel season, with winners receiving a diploma, a gold medal, and a $1.2 million cash award to be divided among multiple recipients if applicable.