09-10-2025
The 2025 Nobel Prize in Chemistry was awarded to Susumu Kitagawa, Richard Robson, and Omar Yaghi for their groundbreaking contributions to the development of metal-organic frameworks (MOFs)—three-dimensional porous structures formed by metals and organic molecules. These possible combinations of metals and organic molecules enable the customization of molecular architectures for various applications, such as combating global warming (capturing CO2 and other toxic gases), catalysis, constructing new molecular worlds, or even capturing water from the air in arid regions.
These materials evoke worlds that, until now, seemed to belong only to science fiction or fantasy literature; architecture with secret rooms, “magical” storage, and secret molecular transport is now commonplace.
The impact of Kitagawa, Robson, and Yaghi's work extends beyond being an impressive scientific breakthrough; they have created a new area of research that combines chemistry with materials science, seamlessly integrating functionality with beauty and molecular elegance.
