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Building Molecules Like Architecture

This year’s Nobel Prize in Chemistry goes to Susumu Kitagawa, Richard Robson, and Omar Yaghi, who developed a new kind of molecular architecture.

In their designs, metal ions act like building blocks, connected by long organic molecules made of carbon. Together, these ions and molecules form crystals with large empty spaces. These porous materials are called metal-organic frameworks (MOFs).

“The clever combination of building blocks in these frameworks allows chemists to design them to capture and store specific substances. MOFs can also drive chemical reactions or conduct electricity,” the Nobel Committee explained in their announcement on October 8th.

“Heavy with potential, these frameworks open up previously unimagined possibilities for creating tailor-made materials with entirely new functions,” added Heiner Linke, Chair of the Nobel Committee for Chemistry.

Structures That Could Solve Big Problems

Back in 1989, Richard Robson explored a novel use of atoms’ internal properties. He combined positively charged copper ions with a four-armed molecule, each arm ending with a chemical group attracted to the copper ions.

When linked, these components formed a highly ordered 3D crystal, resembling a diamond filled with countless cavities. Robson immediately saw the potential of this molecular structure, though it was initially unstable and fragile.

“Susumu Kitagawa and Omar Yaghi later built solid foundations for this approach. Between 1992 and 2003, independently, they made a series of groundbreaking discoveries,” the Committee noted.

Kitagawa demonstrated that gases could freely move in and out of these structures and predicted the creation of flexible MOFs. Yaghi developed a highly stable framework and showed that it could be modified to achieve desired properties.

After these breakthroughs, chemists have created tens of thousands of different MOFs. Some of these materials could help tackle major global challenges, such as removing PFAS chemicals from water, breaking down trace pharmaceuticals in the environment, capturing carbon dioxide, or extracting water from desert air.

Meet the Laureates

88-year-old Richard Robson, an Australian chemist of British descent, teaches at the University of Melbourne. His research includes coordination polymers, and he is a member of the Royal Society.

74-year-old Susumu Kitagawa from Japan is a professor at Kyoto University and founder of the Institute for Integrated Cell-Material Sciences (iCeMS). He specializes in hybrid organic-inorganic chemistry and the chemical and physical properties of coordination polymers.

The youngest laureate, 60-year-old Omar Mwannes Yaghi, is an American chemist of Jordanian descent. Born into a large refugee family, he moved to the US at age 15. He is a professor at UCLA and focuses on designing metal-organic frameworks.

About the Nobel Prize

The Nobel Prize was established in Alfred Nobel’s will—he was the inventor of dynamite and a wealthy entrepreneur. Since 1901, it has been awarded for outstanding achievements in science, literature, and peace. Interruptions in awarding the prize were mainly due to world wars.

Later, the Economics Prize was added, funded by Sweden’s central bank, Riksbank. Winners are chosen by expert committees from various institutions.

The award ceremony, attended by the royal families of Sweden and Norway, concludes with a grand banquet on December 10, the anniversary of Alfred Nobel’s death.

Poland has produced eight Nobel laureates: Maria Skłodowska-Curie (Physics and Chemistry, 1903 and 1911), Henryk Sienkiewicz (Literature, 1905), Władysław Reymont (Literature, 1924), Czesław Miłosz (Literature, 1980), Lech Wałęsa (Peace, 1983), Józef Rotblat (Peace, 1995), Wisława Szymborska (Literature, 1996), and Olga Tokarczuk (Literature, 2018).

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