The prestigious Nobel Prize in Chemistry has been awarded to Susumu Kitagawa, Richard Robson, and Omar M Yaghi for their revolutionary contributions to the field of metal organic frameworks (MOFs). The announcement, made by the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences in Stockholm, highlights the profound impact of their work on ‘molecular architecture’.
This groundbreaking research focuses on the construction of materials with intricate molecular designs, featuring large spaces that allow for the passage of gases and other chemicals. These advanced structures, known as metal-organic frameworks, have opened up new possibilities in various applications, including extracting water from arid environments, capturing carbon dioxide emissions, and safely storing toxic gases.
Professor Kitagawa, based at Kyoto University in Japan, Professor Robson from the University of Melbourne in Australia, and Professor Yaghi of the University of California, US, will share the prize money of 11 million Swedish kronor (£872,000). This recognition follows the recent Nobel Prizes awarded in Physics for quantum mechanics advancements and in Medicine for discoveries related to the immune system’s fight against infections.