Kitagawa, Robson, and Yaghi Win Chemistry Nobel Prize for Pioneering Metal Organic Frameworks
Three scientists who developed metal organic frameworks that could help fight climate change are awarded the 2025 Nobel Prize in Chemistry.
In recognition of their pioneering work on metal organic frameworks (MOFs), a novel class of materials with enormous promise to address significant global issues including plastic pollution and carbon capture, Susumu Kitagawa, Richard Robson, and Omar M. Yaghi have been awarded the Nobel Prize in Chemistry.
The announcement was made by the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences on Wednesday during a press conference in Stockholm, Sweden, acknowledging the three researchers’ groundbreaking work that paved the way for new developments in what it referred to as “molecular architecture.”
“I’m deeply honored and delighted, thank you very much,” said Professor Kitagawa of Kyoto University in Japan after hearing of his victory. Shortly after, he laughed and continued, “How long must I be here? since I have a meeting to attend.
Kitagawa, Professor Richard Robson of the University of Melbourne in Australia, and Professor Omar M. Yaghi of the University of California in the United States will split the prize money of 11 million Swedish kronor (£872,000) among the three laureates.
In order to create structures with remarkably wide interior voids, they discovered a way to assemble molecules into porous frameworks. The ability of these holes to filter contaminants, segregate compounds, or trap gases like carbon dioxide makes MOFs a promising instrument for clean energy and environmental protection.
For a sustainable future, the Nobel committee characterized their accomplishment as “a triumph in molecular design that enables humanity to manipulate matter at the atomic level.”
Following Tuesday’s Physics Prize for quantum mechanics work by John Clarke, Michel H. Devoret, and John M. Martinis, and Monday’s Medicine Prize for three scientists who figured out how the immune system fights infections, comes this year’s Chemistry Nobel.
Throughout the week, the 2025 Nobel Prizes will be announced, with the Economics Prize on Monday and the Peace Prize on Friday.
