Nobel Prize in Chemistry 2025 Awarded for Development of Metal–Organic Frameworks (MOFs)

The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences has awarded the Nobel Prize in Chemistry 2025 to:

• Susumu Kitagawa (Japan)
• Richard Robson (Australia)
• Omar M. Yaghi (USA)

Citation: “For the development of metal–organic frameworks (MOFs).”

About the Discovery: Metal–Organic Frameworks (MOFs)

The Nobel laureates developed molecular constructions with large internal spaces through which gases and chemicals can flow.
These structures, known as metal–organic frameworks (MOFs), are crystalline materials consisting of:

• Metal ions – acting as nodes, and
• Organic molecules – acting as linkers or connectors.

The combination forms highly porous structures with enormous internal surface areas — often thousands of square metres per gram.

Applications of MOFs

Metal–organic frameworks have a wide range of potential uses, including:

• Harvesting water from desert air
• Capturing carbon dioxide (CO₂)
• Storing toxic gases safely
• Catalysing chemical reactions

Scientific Significance

Chemists classify MOFs under the broader family of coordination networks, but their hallmark is tuneable porosity.
By carefully selecting different metal ions and organic linkers, scientists can control the size, shape, and chemical environment of the pores.
This makes MOFs one of the most versatile and promising materials in modern chemistry — with implications for clean energy, environmental protection, and sustainable industrial processes.