2025 Nobel Prize in Chemistry Honors Groundbreaking Metal-Organic Framework Research

Historic Recognition for Transformative Chemistry

Stockholm, Sweden – The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences has officially named Susumu Kitagawa of Kyoto University, Richard Robson of the University of Melbourne, and Omar M. Yaghi of the University of California, Berkeley, as recipients of the 2025 Nobel Prize in Chemistry. These renowned scientists are credited for pioneering the field of metal-organic frameworks (MOFs), an innovation now positioned at the center of solutions for some of humanity’s most pressing environmental and energy challenges.

Unveiling Metal-Organic Frameworks: A New Chemical Frontier

Metal-organic frameworks are crystalline materials constructed by linking metal ions or clusters with organic ligands. This architecture forms rigid, highly porous structures capable of storing and selectively filtering molecules. The ability of MOFs to facilitate the passage, storage, and separation of gases and liquids represents a leap forward compared to conventional porous materials.

Conceived initially in the late 1980s, MOFs have since become a focal point for materials science and chemistry research. Through their unique flexibility, structural diversity, and tunable properties, MOFs have found applications ranging from water harvesting in arid regions to carbon capture at industrial scale.

Early Breakthroughs and Scientific Progression

The origins of MOF research trace back to 1989, when British-Australian chemist Richard Robson, working with copper ions and intricately designed organic linkers, synthesized crystals resembling the diamond structure. These early metal-organic architectures exhibited unprecedented internal surface area, but their practical applications were limited by instability.

Japanese chemist Susumu Kitagawa expanded on Robson’s initial success by providing evidence of gas movement into and out of the crystalline pores. Kitagawa anticipated that flexible pores could allow these frameworks to adapt their shapes dynamically, a property subsequently observed and exploited in various chemical processes. American-Jordanian chemist Omar M. Yaghi, building on these foundations in the 1990s and early 2000s, demonstrated how MOFs could be made durable, robust, and customizable for specific tasks by adjusting their molecular components.

The combined efforts of these three laureates not only stabilized MOFs but also opened avenues for deliberate design, allowing researchers to tailor porosity, functionality, and chemical selectivity to meet the needs of industry and society.

Transformative Applications: From Clean Water to Clean Air

Today, MOFs are celebrated for their extraordinary potential in addressing global challenges. More than 100,000 MOFs have been synthesized, their structures cataloged and analyzed for tasks including:

• Water Harvesting: Certain MOFs can draw water vapor from dry air, enabling the extraction of drinking water in desert climates.
• Carbon Capture: MOFs’ selective absorption makes them ideal for trapping carbon dioxide emissions from power plants—a critical technology in global climate strategies.
• Pollutant Removal: Industries are investigating MOFs that can filter out toxic gases, remove persistent contaminants such as PFAS (“forever chemicals”), and even degrade pharmaceuticals from wastewater.
• Energy Storage: MOFs’ high internal surface area makes them promising for hydrogen and methane storage, potentially transforming fuel supply for transportation and energy sectors.
• Catalysis: Their unique structure provides ideal environments for accelerating chemical reactions, with implications for pharmaceuticals, fuels, and polymers.

Worldwide Impact and Regional Comparisons

Asia, Australia, and North America host some of the world’s most prominent MOF research centers, reflecting the international scope of this year’s Nobel laurates. Japan’s Kyoto University is recognized for its foundational role in MOF science, with Kitagawa’s group driving experiments in molecular dynamics. Australia’s University of Melbourne, where Robson continues his academic work, has contributed significantly to structural analysis and the development of advanced MOF architectures.

In the United States, Yaghi’s laboratory at UC Berkeley is credited with revolutionizing scalable MOF synthesis and demonstrating practical applications, particularly for water harvesting and gas separation. The breadth and ambition of initiatives in Europe, North America, and East Asia have accelerated commercialization of MOFs, bringing laboratory results to market in record time.

Countries across the Middle East and Africa, constrained by freshwater scarcity, have shown significant interest in importing MOF-based technologies. Similarly, industrial economies like Germany, China, and South Korea have incorporated MOFs in pilot programs for air purification and chemical manufacturing, illustrating a global transition toward sustainable practices powered by these advanced materials.

Economic Impact and Commercialization Efforts

The economic implications of MOF technology are profound. Start-ups and multinational firms are vying to commercialize MOF-based products for sectors including energy, chemicals, water, and environmental remediation. The global MOF market, initially valued at a few million dollars in the early 2010s, is projected to reach several billion dollars annually by the end of the decade.

Key drivers of market expansion include:

• Utility companies seeking efficient carbon capture systems to comply with tightening emission regulations
• Manufacturers of pharmaceuticals and specialty chemicals leveraging MOF-based catalysts and separation media
• Water utilities pursuing novel filtration solutions to supply potable water in drought-prone areas
• Automotive and energy firms exploring new pathways for hydrogen storage amid the clean energy transition

While commercialization is accelerating, scale-up remains technically challenging. Researchers continue to pursue MOFs that are both affordable and stable under industrial conditions. Today’s recognition by the Nobel Committee is expected to fuel further investment and innovation, positioning MOFs at the forefront of materials science.

Laureate Biographies: Profiles in Innovation

• Susumu Kitagawa, born in 1951 in Kyoto, Japan, earned his doctorate from Kyoto University in 1979. Now a distinguished professor, Kitagawa is celebrated for his theoretical insights and synthetic achievements in porous materials.
• Richard Robson, born in 1937 in Glusburn, UK, obtained his PhD from the University of Oxford in 1962. He has served as a professor at the University of Melbourne and is widely regarded as a pioneer of molecular crystal engineering.
• Omar M. Yaghi, born in Amman, Jordan, in 1965, received his doctorate in 1990 from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. As a faculty member at UC Berkeley, Yaghi established one of the world’s leading centers for porous materials research.

The Nobel Prize, accompanied this year by an award of 11 million Swedish kronor, will be shared equally among the three laureates.

A New Era for Chemistry

The 2025 Nobel Prize in Chemistry underscores a pivotal transformation in how materials are understood, designed, and deployed to solve real-world problems. MOFs have leapt from theoretical possibility to practical tool in less than four decades, a testament to the creativity and persistence of scientists around the globe.

With the Nobel spotlight shining on metal-organic frameworks, interdisciplinary collaboration is poised to intensify. Chemists, engineers, physicists, and environmental scientists now share a common platform for tackling existential challenges—clean water, clean air, and sustainable energy—for future generations.

As celebrations continue in Stockholm, Kyoto, Melbourne, and Berkeley, colleagues and the broader scientific community eagerly anticipate the next breakthroughs, inspired by three visionaries whose innovations are transforming the very foundations of chemistry.