Nobel Prize in Chemistry 2025 Awarded to Kitagawa, Robson, and Yaghi for Metal-Organic Frameworks

The Nobel Prize in Chemistry for 2025 has been awarded to Susumu Kitagawa, Richard Robson, and Omar M. Yaghi for their pioneering work on metal-organic frameworks (MOFs). The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences recognized the three scientists for developing a new type of molecular architecture that has opened up exciting possibilities in chemistry and environmental science.

Metal-organic frameworks are unique structures composed of metal ions linked by organic molecules, creating large, porous cavities. These cavities allow molecules to flow in and out, making MOFs highly versatile materials. The laureates’ work has enabled researchers to use MOFs for a variety of important applications, such as harvesting water from desert air, extracting pollutants from water, capturing carbon dioxide, and storing hydrogen. These advances have provided chemists with innovative tools to tackle some of the pressing challenges of our time, from environmental sustainability to energy storage.

Susumu Kitagawa is affiliated with Kyoto University in Japan, Richard Robson with the University of Melbourne in Australia, and Omar M. Yaghi with the University of California in the United States. Each laureate will receive an equal one-third share of the prize.

Last year, the Nobel Prize in Chemistry was awarded for groundbreaking contributions in protein science. David Baker received half of the prize for his work in computational protein design, while Demis Hassabis and John M. Jumper shared the other half for their achievements in protein structure prediction.

The Nobel Prizes in chemistry and physics are awarded by the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences. The prestigious awards were established by Swedish chemist and entrepreneur Alfred Nobel, who specified in his will that the majority of his estate should be used to honor those who have conferred the greatest benefit to humanity in the previous year.

Besides chemistry, physics, and medicine, Nobel Prizes are also given for literature and peace. In 1968, an additional prize for economic sciences was created in memory of Alfred Nobel, further expanding the scope of these globally recognized honors.