Nobel Prize in Chemistry honors trio behind metal–organic frameworks

The 2025 Nobel Prize in Chemistry has been awarded to Susumu Kitagawa, Richard Robson, and Omar M. Yaghi for their pioneering development of metal–organic frameworks (MOFs). These crystalline materials are constructed by linking metal ions with organic molecules to create highly porous structures with vast internal surface areas. MOFs can trap, store, and manipulate gases and molecules, enabling applications such as capturing greenhouse gases, purifying water, catalyzing chemical reactions, and storing hydrogen fuel. The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences highlighted the trio’s work as transformative for materials science, opening new avenues for clean energy and environmental sustainability. The origins of MOFs date back to 1989 when Richard Robson first assembled copper ions with organic molecules into crystalline frameworks, although early versions were unstable. Susumu Kitagawa later demonstrated the frameworks’ flexibility and gas absorption capabilities, while Omar Yaghi engineered the first highly stable MOFs and introduced rational design principles. These principles allow chemists to tailor MO