Nobel Prize in Chemistry 2025 Press Release Now Available on NobelPrize.org
Nobel Prize in Chemistry 2025: Pioneering Innovations in Metal-Organic Frameworks
Groundbreaking Developments in Molecular Architecture
The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences has honored Susumu Kitagawa, Richard Robson, and Omar M. Yaghi with the 2025 Nobel Prize in Chemistry for their revolutionary work on metal-organic frameworks (MOFs). These scientists have developed intricate molecular systems with vast cavities, allowing various gases and chemicals to flow seamlessly, marking a significant advancement in how substances can be captured and utilized.
Potential Applications of Metal-Organic Frameworks
The innovative designs of MOFs present numerous promising applications. They are capable of harvesting water from desert air, capturing carbon dioxide, storing toxic gases, and catalyzing chemical reactions. Additionally, the flexibility in designing MOFs enables them to perform electrical conduction and other specialized functions.
- Water harvesting from arid environments
- Carbon dioxide capture from the atmosphere
- Toxic gas storage solutions
- Chemical reaction catalysis
Historical Journey: From Concept to Reality
The journey towards this groundbreaking achievement began in 1989 when Richard Robson experimented with copper ions, leading to the creation of a novel, spatially organized crystal structure. However, initial prototypes were unstable until Susumu Kitagawa and Omar Yaghi made significant individual discoveries between 1992 and 2003, enhancing the stability and functionality of MOFs. Kitagawa’s work demonstrated MOFs’ potential for flexibility, while Yaghi established a solid base for their rational design, improving their properties significantly.
Innovations Enabling Sustainable Solutions
The concerted efforts of Kitagawa, Robson, and Yaghi have resulted in the creation of thousands of MOF variations. These structures hold the potential to address global challenges such as environmental pollution and resource scarcity. For example, MOFs could efficiently separate PFAS from water and degrade pharmaceutical traces in the environment, showcasing their vast environmental implications.
About the Laureates
| Name | Background |
|---|---|
| Susumu Kitagawa | Born 1951 in Kyoto, Japan. PhD from Kyoto University. Professor at Kyoto University. |
| Richard Robson | Born 1937 in Glusburn, UK. PhD from the University of Oxford. Professor at the University of Melbourne. |
| Omar M. Yaghi | Born 1965 in Amman, Jordan. PhD from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. Professor at the University of California, Berkeley. |
The Nobel Prize in Chemistry 2025, including a prize amount of 11 million Swedish kronor, will be shared equally among these three remarkable scientists. For additional information, visit Emegypt and the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences’ website.
