2025 Nobel Prize in Chemistry Honors MOF Pioneers

The 2025 Nobel Prize in Chemistry has been jointly awarded to Susumu Kitagawa, Richard Robson, and Omar M. Yaghi for their pioneering work in creating Metal-Organic Frameworks (MOFs).

• The 2025 Nobel Prize in Chemistry has been jointly awarded to Susumu Kitagawa of Kyoto University, Japan, Richard Robson of the University of Melbourne, Australia, and Omar M. Yaghi of the University of California, Berkeley, USA, for their pioneering work in creating Metal-Organic Frameworks (MOFs).
• These are a revolutionary class of materials whose molecular structures have “room for chemistry.”
• The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences has announced that the three are being honored for the development of “Metal-Organic Frameworks,” crystalline materials that form highly porous structures by linking metal ions with organic molecules.
• These nanoscopic frameworks can trap, store, and manipulate gases and molecules, offering immense potential to address global sustainability challenges.
• By designing structures with large internal surface areas, MOFs allow gases such as carbon dioxide, methane, or even water vapor to flow in and out of their tiny cavities.
• This unique property enables them to perform remarkable tasks—from capturing greenhouse gases and purifying water to catalyzing chemical reactions and storing hydrogen fuel.

Metal-Organic Frameworks (MOF)

• The innovation began in 1989, when Richard Robson experimented with combining copper ions and complex organic molecules into large crystalline frameworks.
• Although the early structures were unstable, his work inspired further breakthroughs. In the 1990s, Susumu Kitagawa demonstrated that these frameworks could absorb and release gases, showcasing their potential flexibility.
• Omar Yaghi later created the first exceptionally stable MOFs and introduced rational design principles that helped chemists refine them for desired properties.

The Nobel Prize in Chemistry

• Between 1901 and 2025, the Nobel Prize in Chemistry has been awarded 117 times to 200 laureates. Frederick Sanger and Barry Sharpless have both received the Nobel Prize in Chemistry twice. This means a total of 198 individuals have received the Nobel Prize in Chemistry.