Nobel Prize in Chemistry Awarded for Development of Metal-Organic Frameworks

Susumu Kitagawa (Kyoto University, Japan), Richard Robson (University of Melbourne, Australia), and Omar M. Yaghi (University of California, Berkeley, USA) have been awarded the Nobel Prize in Chemistry for their development of metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) — a class of porous materials with wide-ranging applications, from capturing carbon dioxide to extracting water from desert air.

The Nobel Committee described their work as a breakthrough in "molecular architecture", with the trio figuring out how to construct crystals filled with large empty spaces that can allow gases and chemicals to flow through. These frameworks are built using metal ions connected by long organic molecules, forming stable, highly customizable structures.

How did the discovery emerge?

The story began in 1989, when Richard Robson combined copper ions with a four-armed molecule, forming a crystal filled with microscopic cavities — like a diamond packed with tunnels. Although the initial structure was unstable, it laid the groundwork for what came next.

In the following years, Kitagawa and Yaghi took the concept further. Kitagawa showed that gases could pass in and out of these frameworks and suggested they could even be flexible. Meanwhile, Yaghi developed a highly stable MOF and demonstrated that these materials could be fine-tuned for specific purposes.

“Metal-organic frameworks have enormous potential, bringing previously unforeseen opportunities for custom-made materials with new functions,” said Heiner Linke, Chair of the Nobel Committee for Chemistry.

Since their discoveries, chemists around the world have built tens of thousands of MOFs. Some are being explored for environmental clean-up — like removing PFAS chemicals from water or breaking down leftover pharmaceuticals. Others could help tackle climate change by capturing carbon from the air or even help with water scarcity by harvesting moisture in arid regions.

This is the third Nobel science prize announced this week. The Physics Prize went to scientists whose work enabled the development of quantum computers, and the Medicine Prize was awarded for discoveries about how the immune system fights infections. The prize comes with a shared award of 11 million Swedish kronor (around £872,000).