Three scientists, Richard Robson, Susumu Kitagawa, & Omar Yaghi, have won the 2025 Nobel Prize in Chemistry. The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences announced the award on Wednesday, recognising their creation of metal–organic frameworks, or MOFs. These are molecular structures that can trap gases, store chemicals, and even extract water from dry air.
The Nobel Committee praised the scientists for developing “a new form of molecular architecture.” Their work links metal ions with carbon-based molecules to form crystals filled with large, empty spaces. These porous materials can be designed to capture specific substances, from carbon dioxide to water vapour.
Olof Ramström, a member of the Nobel Committee for Chemistry, said the discovery opened “a very rich and active area of research” with “new MOFs being developed almost every day.”
Omar Yaghi, speaking from an airport while travelling to Brussels, said, “You cannot prepare for a moment like that. The feeling is indescribable, but it’s absolutely thrilling.”
What Are Metal-Organic Frameworks?
Metal–organic frameworks are materials made by joining metal ions to organic molecules. Together, they form a rigid, three-dimensional network filled with open spaces. These cavities can hold gases or liquids, allowing MOFs to trap, filter, or store substances at the molecular level.
The metal ions act as anchors, while the organic molecules serve as linkers. The result is a structure similar to scaffolding, where the metal “joints” and carbon-based “beams” build a stable yet porous design.
Because of their structure, MOFs have a vast internal surface area. A few grams of a MOF can have as much surface area as a football field. This makes them ideal for applications like gas storage, purification, and catalysis.
Why Are MOFs Worthy of a Nobel Prize?
The Nobel Committee described metal–organic frameworks as a “revolution in molecular design.” Chair of the committee Heiner Linke said the materials “offer enormous potential for custom-made materials with new functions.” Their work, he added, had opened “previously unforeseen opportunities” across chemistry and environmental science.
Richard Robson built the first version of these frameworks in 1989, then called “coordination polymers.” Later, Susumu Kitagawa and Omar Yaghi developed the concept into a powerful scientific tool. Research grew rapidly, from a few dozen papers in the early 2000s to nearly 10,000 last year. More than 100,000 MOF structures have now been reported.
This surge of research has pushed chemistry toward a new way of building materials. Instead of linking atoms in simple chains, chemists can now design vast, open 3D networks with precision. The result is a new class of materials that can be built for specific uses, from capturing carbon to storing hydrogen.
How Did the Three Scientists Create MOFs?
The idea began in the 1970s when Richard Robson, then a chemistry professor at the University of Melbourne, used wooden models to explain molecular structures to his students. The exercise led him to wonder whether real atoms could be linked to form new types of molecular constructions.
In the 1980s, Robson tested this idea by linking copper ions with organic linkers. He managed to form large, open molecular structures. “It was like creating a diamond-shaped lattice but with spaces inside,” Robson said in an earlier interview. The early structures, however, were fragile and easily collapsed.
Around the same time, Susumu Kitagawa in Japan was experimenting with similar frameworks. In 1997, his team built strong, three-dimensional MOFs using cobalt, nickel, and zinc. The structures stayed intact even after gases were absorbed and released. “It was the moment we realised these frameworks could actually breathe,” Kitagawa told reporters at Kyoto University.
In 1995, Omar Yaghi, working in the United States, took the idea further. He combined metal ions with organic molecules to make stable, net-like structures. His paper in Nature introduced the term “metal–organic framework.” In 1999, he created MOF-5, a material so stable it could withstand temperatures up to 300°C.
How Is This Beneficial for Environment?
MOFs can play a major role in tackling environmental challenges. They can capture carbon dioxide from industrial emissions, helping to reduce greenhouse gases in the atmosphere.
Researchers have also shown that certain MOFs can pull water from dry desert air. This could help supply clean water in arid regions. “These materials could change the way we think about water access,” said David Pugh, a chemist at King’s College London.
Other MOFs can filter out pollutants like PFAS, chemicals that contaminate drinking water. By trapping these compounds, the frameworks make water safer to drink.
MOFs can also store hydrogen gas safely, a crucial step toward developing cleaner fuels. Their ability to hold large volumes of gas in small spaces makes them suitable for fuel cells and energy storage systems.
Why the Work Matters
The discovery offers practical solutions for pressing global issues such as pollution, clean energy, and water scarcity. The Nobel Committee said the laureates’ work “may contribute to solving some of humankind’s greatest challenges.”
Scientists are exploring the use of MOFs to deliver drugs directly into the body. Their porous design allows medicine to be released slowly and precisely. “It could be a better way to deliver low doses continually,” said Pugh.
Industries are already using MOFs in packaging to slow fruit ripening during transport. The materials absorb ethylene gas, extending shelf life and reducing food waste.
Annette Doherty, president of the Royal Society of Chemistry, said the award “reflects the best of what chemistry can do, connecting ideas and discoveries to improve lives.”
Who Are Three Chemistry Laureates?
Richard Robson, 88, was born in Glusburn, United Kingdom. He is a Professor at the University of Melbourne in Australia.
Susumu Kitagawa, 74, was born in Kyoto, Japan. He is a Professor at Kyoto University.
Omar M. Yaghi, 60, was born in Amman, Jordan, and teaches at the University of California, Berkeley. Yaghi grew up in a one-room house with no electricity or running water. His journey from Amman to a Nobel Prize laboratory in the U.S. is a story of persistence and curiosity.
The Nobel Prize in Chemistry this year celebrates more than a scientific discovery. It honours decades of work that turned an idea about molecular structures into a technology with real-world benefits.
The frameworks created by Robson, Kitagawa, and Yaghi have changed how chemists think about building materials. From capturing carbon to producing water, their research continues to shape new answers to environmental and energy problems worldwide.
As Olof Ramström put it, “We can expect many more frameworks, and many more applications, for the benefit of humankind.”
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