Three scientists have been awarded the 2025 Nobel Prize in Chemistry for their creation of revolutionary porous materials, a discovery that has paved the way for significant advancements in environmental technology and energy storage. The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences in Stockholm awarded the prize to Susumu Kitagawa of Kyoto University, Richard Robson of the University of Melbourne, and Omar M. Yaghi of the University of California, Berkeley. The trio will share the 11 million Swedish kronor prize for their development of metal-organic frameworks, or MOFs.
These innovative materials are exceptionally porous crystalline structures composed of metal ions linked by organic molecules. This unique composition creates microscopic, sponge-like cavities that can capture, store, and release other molecules, such as gases and liquids. The potential applications for MOFs are vast, ranging from capturing carbon dioxide emissions and storing hydrogen fuel to purifying water and harvesting water from desert air. Some experts have called MOFs the material of the 21st century due to their remarkable versatility and potential to address some of the world’s most pressing challenges.
The Groundbreaking Discovery of MOFs
The foundation of this Nobel Prize-winning research began in the late 1980s with the work of Richard Robson. While at the University of Melbourne, Robson conceptualized and created a new class of porous organometallic polymers, which he demonstrated could be constructed into “hollow diamonds”. His work also showed that the metal ions within these frameworks could be exchanged for other metals, a key feature that would later allow for the fine-tuning of these materials. Initially, many in the scientific community considered this discovery to be of little practical use. However, Susumu Kitagawa in Japan and Omar M. Yaghi in the United States independently recognized the immense potential of Robson’s work.
Pioneering Independent Research
Throughout the 1990s and into the early 2000s, Kitagawa and Yaghi built upon Robson’s foundational research, each making significant contributions to the field. Yaghi and his team were responsible for creating a particularly noteworthy zinc-based MOF that exhibited an extraordinary internal surface area. A few grams of this material could have an internal surface area equivalent to that of a football pitch, making it the most porous solid material known and capable of absorbing vast quantities of gas. Meanwhile, Kitagawa demonstrated that MOFs created with cobalt, nickel, and zinc were not only stable but could also be used to store and release gases like methane, nitrogen, and oxygen. His research also explored the possibility of creating flexible MOFs, further expanding their potential applications.
A New Era of Materials Science
The development of MOFs has ushered in a new era in materials science, with researchers around the world now exploring the possibilities of these versatile materials. By 2020, over 90,000 different MOFs had been reported in scientific literature. The ability to customize the size and shape of the pores within MOFs by adjusting the combination of metals and organic linkers is a key aspect of their utility. This allows scientists to design MOFs that can selectively capture specific molecules, making them ideal for a wide range of applications.
Applications for a Cleaner Planet
The potential environmental applications of MOFs are particularly significant. One of the most promising uses for these materials is in carbon capture. MOFs could make it easier and more cost-effective to capture carbon dioxide emissions from power plants and industrial facilities, and even directly from the air, which is a crucial step in addressing climate change. In addition to carbon capture, MOFs are being explored for their ability to store hydrogen, a clean energy source, and for their use in water purification.
Water Purification and Harvesting
MOFs have shown great promise in addressing water scarcity and contamination. These materials can be used to remove harmful pollutants from water, including PFAS, also known as “forever chemicals”. Furthermore, some MOFs have the remarkable ability to harvest water from the atmosphere, even in arid environments. This could provide a much-needed source of clean drinking water in desert regions and other water-stressed areas. The Dutch KWR Water Research Institute, in collaboration with Dutch water utilities, has been actively investigating the use of MOFs for water treatment.
The Future of Porous Materials
The work of Kitagawa, Robson, and Yaghi has laid the scientific foundation for a field of research that continues to expand rapidly. The Nobel Committee for Chemistry likened the porous nature of MOFs to “Hermione’s handbag” from the Harry Potter series, capable of storing a vast amount of material in a tiny volume. This analogy highlights the extraordinary potential of these materials. As research continues, the number of potential applications for MOFs is expected to grow, with ongoing studies exploring their use in drug delivery and catalysis.
Upon being notified of the award, Kitagawa expressed his hope to use MOFs to extract important elements like carbon and oxygen from the air and convert them into useful materials using green energy. The recognition of their work with the Nobel Prize is expected to further accelerate research and investment in this promising field, potentially leading to technological solutions that can help create a more sustainable future.
