An 88-year-old Australian chemist whose early concepts were once dismissed as “a whole load of rubbish” has been awarded the 2025 Nobel Prize in Chemistry for co-pioneering a revolutionary class of materials poised to help solve some of the world’s most critical challenges. Richard Robson, a professor at the University of Melbourne, shares the prize with Susumu Kitagawa of Kyoto University and Omar M. Yaghi of the University of California, Berkeley, for their foundational work on molecular architecture that has unlocked countless applications. The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences recognized their collective development of metal-organic frameworks, or MOFs, a field that began with Robson’s theoretical models in the 1970s and has since grown into a global scientific endeavor.
These materials, often described as molecular sponges or sieves, are porous, crystalline structures built with near-atomic precision. Their vast internal spaces allow them to capture, store, and release other molecules, making them exceptionally versatile. This unique capability is now being harnessed for a stunning array of real-world uses, from capturing greenhouse gases directly from the air and storing hydrogen fuel, to delivering targeted cancer therapies and harvesting potable water in the most arid environments. Robson’s achievement, celebrated by scientists and politicians alike, serves as a powerful testament to how decades of persistent, curiosity-driven research can lay the groundwork for transformative, world-changing technologies.
A Journey from Skepticism to Acclaim
Professor Robson’s path to the Nobel Prize was a marathon, not a sprint, spanning nearly his entire career at the University of Melbourne, where he has taught and researched since 1966. The initial idea for MOFs emerged not from a dedicated project but from a simple teaching aid he was developing in the 1970s to help students visualize molecular structures. The concept of building ordered, porous frameworks from the ground up was so novel that it was met with significant skepticism in the scientific community. Despite the initial dismissal, Robson continued to refine his ideas, driven by what he has described as an obsessive focus on his research.
The breakthrough came in 1989 with the publication of a seminal paper co-authored with his close collaborator, Bernard Hoskins. This work outlined and demonstrated the core concepts that continue to underpin the field today, showing how metal ions and organic linker molecules could be designed to self-assemble into stable, grid-like structures. Even then, the field grew slowly. It was the subsequent, independent work by his co-laureates, Kitagawa and Yaghi, that built upon Robson’s foundation, expanding the chemistry and demonstrating the full potential of these materials. This journey from a conceptual model to a globally recognized field highlights the long, often uncertain path of fundamental science.
The Science of Molecular Architecture
Metal-organic frameworks represent a fundamentally new way of creating solid materials. Their construction is often compared to building with a molecular-scale toy set, where designers have precise control over the final structure and its properties. This precision is the key to their power and versatility.
Building with Atomic Precision
At their core, all MOFs consist of two primary components: metal ions, which act as nodes or “hubs,” and organic molecules, which serve as struts or “linkers.” When these components are combined under the right conditions, they spontaneously connect in a highly ordered, repeating pattern, much like girders forming the framework of a building. This self-assembly process creates a rigid, three-dimensional lattice defined by a network of pores, or empty channels. The result is a material that is incredibly lightweight yet has an enormous internal surface area. A single gram of a MOF can have a surface area equivalent to a football field, providing an immense capacity for storing other molecules.
A Library of Possibilities
The true genius of MOF design lies in its customizability. By simply changing the combination of ingredients—selecting different metal ions and synthesizing new organic linkers—researchers can tailor the final material for a specific purpose. The size, shape, and chemical properties of the internal pores can be fine-tuned with remarkable accuracy. This has led to the creation of hundreds of thousands of different MOFs, each with unique characteristics. Some are designed to be highly selective, capturing only carbon dioxide molecules while ignoring others. Others have pores that can expand or contract, or that are lined with reactive sites to function as catalysts for cleaner chemical manufacturing.
Tackling a World of Challenges
The practical applications stemming from Robson’s foundational work are vast and address many of the most urgent problems facing humanity. The ability to design molecular sponges for specific tasks has turned MOFs into powerful tools for sustainability, medicine, and public safety.
Climate and Energy Solutions
One of the most promising applications for MOFs is in the fight against climate change. Specific frameworks have been developed to efficiently capture carbon dioxide from industrial emissions or even directly from the atmosphere, a key strategy for mitigating global warming. Others are being engineered for the safe and dense storage of gases like hydrogen and methane, which could be critical for the transition to cleaner energy economies. As University of Melbourne deputy vice-chancellor Mark Cassidy noted, the prize will hopefully inspire further research to advance MOFs into products vital for Australia’s push toward renewable energy.
Innovations in Healthcare
In medicine, MOFs are opening new frontiers for treatment and diagnosis. Their porous interiors can be loaded with drugs and then tailored to release their payload only when they reach a specific target in the body, such as a cancer cell. This approach promises more effective therapies with fewer side effects. Additionally, MOFs containing metal ions can be used as highly effective contrast agents for medical imaging, providing clearer and more detailed MRI scans.
Water Security and Safety
The challenge of water scarcity is also being addressed by MOF technology. Certain materials are so effective at trapping water molecules that they can harvest significant amounts of potable water from the air, even in desert environments with low humidity. Beyond water harvesting, other MOFs are being developed for filtration systems or to be integrated into protective gear to shield individuals from harmful or toxic gases.
A Victory for Fundamental Science
Professor Robson’s Nobel Prize is being hailed not only as a personal honor but also as a powerful affirmation of the importance of long-term, curiosity-driven research. His work did not begin with a specific application in mind, but rather from a desire to explore the fundamental principles of chemistry. Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese highlighted this, telling parliament that while “the nature of Professor Robson’s work is molecular, the scale of its significance is absolutely enormous.” The story of MOFs serves as a crucial reminder that today’s most transformative technologies often have their roots in basic scientific inquiry that unfolded over decades, far from the pressures of short-term political or commercial cycles. Robson’s win places him among a small group of just 12 Australian scientists to receive a Nobel Prize, inspiring pride across the nation.
