Main points
- Three chemists have won the 2025 Nobel Prize in Chemistry for the creation of metal–organic frameworks (MOFs), which open up new possibilities in environmental protection, water harvesting, and gas storage.
- MOFs are crystalline structures of metal ions and organic molecules that have high potential for capturing CO₂, extracting water from the air, storing gases, catalyzing reactions, and purifying water from toxins.
Hollow crystals of the future: what they gave the Nobel Prize in Chemistry for / Collage 24 Channel
Three chemists have won the 2025 Nobel Prize in Chemistry for their work on a unique class of materials called metal–organic frameworks (MOFs). Their work paves the way for technologies that could fundamentally change the way we approach environmental protection, water harvesting, and gas storage.
Three chemists have won the 2025 Nobel Prize in Chemistry for their work on a unique class of materials called metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) . Their work paves the way for technologies that could revolutionize the way we protect the environment, harvest water, and store gases, BGR reports.
What is this material and why is it important?
Metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) are crystalline structures that consist of metal ions linked by organic molecules. Such frameworks form three-dimensional “empty” spaces – pores – that allow molecules to freely enter and exit. These materials are extremely porous: up to 90% of the volume of a MOF can be empty space , and accordingly, their internal surface area per gram can be equal to the area of a football field.
The first MOF appeared in the laboratory of Richard Robson back in 1989 , and then the field was actively developed and optimized by Susumu Kitagawa and Omar Yaggi. Their work completely changed the understanding of the possibilities of creating structures with large pore spaces at the molecular level.
What was the Nobel Prize awarded for?
The Nobel Committee has awarded the prize to three scientists for the development of metal-organic frameworks , which allow for the creation of new material architectures with highly tunable porosity and chemical properties. Such designs open up virtually unlimited combinations not possible with other materials.
MOF structures have incredible potential in many areas:
• Carbon capture – helping to combat climate change by filtering CO₂ from emissions.
• Extracting water from the air – especially in arid regions where classic water sources are limited.
• Selective storage and transportation of gases – for example, hydrogen or methane.
• Catalysis and acceleration of chemical reactions , which can make production more efficient and less energy-intensive.
• Water purification from toxic substances – including the removal of complex pollutants.
As the Nobel Committee writes, these applications make MOF not just an interesting scientific achievement, but a potential technology for solving global challenges for humanity.
Having received the Nobel Prize in 2025, metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) have become a symbol of how fundamental science can be transformed into technology that expands humanity's capabilities in the fields of ecology, resource conservation, and materials science.