The Nobel Prize for Chemistry 2025 was awarded on Wednesday to Susumu Kitagawa, Richard Robson and Omar M Yaghi “for the development of metal-organic frameworks.”
Of the three scientists, Susumu Kitagawa comes from the University of Kyoto in Japan, Richard Robson from the University of Melbourne in Australia, and Omar M Yaghi from the University of California, Berkeley.
Why did these scientists won the Nobel Prize for the Chemistry 2025?
Susumu Kitagawa, Richard Robson and Omar M. Yaghi have received the Nobel Prize in Chemistry 2025 for the development of a new type of molecular architecture.
According to the organization, Chemistry Laureate Richard Robson had tested in 1989 to use the inherent properties of atoms in a new way.
He combined positively charged copper ions with a four -armed molecule. This had a chemical group that was attracted by Koperionen at the end of each arm.
When they were combined, they formed a well -organized, spacious crystal. It was like a diamond filled with countless cavities.
Robson immediately recognized the potential of his molecular construction, but it was unstable and easily collapsed.
However, Susumu Kitagawa and Omar Yaghi provided this construction method with a solid foundation; Between 1992 and 2003 they made a series of revolutionary discoveries separately.
Susumu Kitagawa showed that gases can flow in and out of the constructions and predicted that metal-organic frameworks (MOF) could be made flexible.
Omar Yaghi created a very stable metal-organic framework and showed that it can be adjusted with the help of rational design, giving it new and desirable properties.
'Groundbreaking discoveries'
The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences said that due to the development of metal-organic frameworks, the chemistry rectors of 2025, Susumu Kitagawa, Richard Robson and Omar Yaghi, chemists offered new opportunities for solving some of the challenges we are confronted with.
After the groundbreaking discoveries of the laureates, researchers created countless different and functional metal-organic frameworks.
Until now, the materials have only been used on a small scale in most cases. To use the benefits of metal-organic framework materials for humanity, many companies are now investing in mass production and commercialization.
Some have succeeded. For example, the electronics industry can now use metal-organic framework materials to contain part of the toxic gases that are needed to produce semiconductors.
Instead, another metal-organic framework can break down harmful gases, including some that can be used as chemical weapons. Numerous companies also test materials that can absorb carbon dioxide from factories and power stations to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
Some researchers believe that metal-organic frameworks have such a huge potential that they will be the material of the 21st century.
