Japan's Susumu Kitagawa Shares 2025 Nobel Chemistry Prize for Metal-Organic Frameworks

Groundbreaking Discovery Honored

The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences has awarded the 2025 Nobel Prize in Chemistry to Susumu Kitagawa of Kyoto University, Richard Robson of the University of Melbourne, and Omar M. Yaghi of the University of California, Berkeley. The trio is recognized 'for the development of metal–organic frameworks' (MOFs), a revolutionary class of porous materials that have opened 'new rooms for chemistry'.

Metal-Organic Frameworks are a novel form of molecular architecture where metal ions act as cornerstones, linked by organic molecules to create crystalline structures with large internal cavities. These unique materials can be engineered to capture and store specific substances, facilitate chemical reactions, or conduct electricity.

Pioneering Contributions to MOF Development

The laureates' work spans decades, laying the foundation for this rapidly expanding field. Richard Robson, born in Glusburn, UK in 1937, initiated the concept of molecular architecture that, despite early challenges, inspired further research. He was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society in 2022 for founding the prolific field of MOFs.

Susumu Kitagawa, born in Kyoto, Japan in 1951, significantly advanced the understanding of MOFs by demonstrating that gases could flow in and out of these constructions and predicting their flexibility. A distinguished professor and Executive Vice-President for Research Promotion at Kyoto University, Kitagawa has dedicated his career to coordination chemistry and porous coordination polymers. He was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society in 2023.

Omar M. Yaghi, born in Amman, Jordan in 1965, made crucial breakthroughs by creating highly stable MOFs and showing that their properties could be precisely modified through rational design. He is credited with pioneering 'reticular chemistry'.

Vast Potential for Global Challenges

The applications of MOFs are extensive and hold immense promise for addressing some of humanity's most pressing challenges. Researchers have already utilized MOFs for:

• Harvesting water from desert air
• Extracting pollutants from water, including 'forever chemicals' like PFAS
• Capturing carbon dioxide
• Storing hydrogen and other gases
• Catalysis and drug delivery

Heiner Linke, Chair of the Nobel Committee for Chemistry, emphasized that MOFs 'have enormous potential, bringing previously unforeseen opportunities for custom-made materials with new functions'. Olof Ramström, a committee member, likened the materials to 'Hermione's handbag in Harry Potter' due to their capacity to store vast amounts of gas in a tiny volume. Based on the laureates' discoveries, tens of thousands of different MOFs have been developed, with some experts believing they could become the 'material of the twenty-first century'.

Japan Celebrates Second Nobel Laureate This Year

For Japan, Kitagawa's award marks the second Nobel Prize this year, following immunologist Shimon Sakaguchi's win in Physiology or Medicine. This achievement signifies the first time in 10 years that two or more Japanese nationals have received Nobel Prizes in the same year. Kitagawa expressed his profound honor, stating his dream is to utilize his discovery to convert substances like carbon dioxide and oxygen from the air into useful materials, calling air 'an invisible gold'.