The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences has awarded the 2025 Nobel Prize in Chemistry to Susumu Kitagawa, Richard Robson, and Omar M. Yaghi for their pioneering development of metal–organic frameworks (MOFs).

The laureates have created molecular structures with large, porous spaces through which gases and other chemicals can flow. These innovative frameworks have wide-ranging applications, including harvesting water from desert air, capturing carbon dioxide, storing toxic gases, and catalyzing chemical reactions.

In their designs, metal ions serve as cornerstones connected by long organic molecules, forming crystals with large cavities. By modifying these building blocks, chemists can tailor MOFs to capture specific substances, drive chemical reactions, or even conduct electricity.

“Metal–organic frameworks have enormous potential, bringing previously unforeseen opportunities for custom-made materials with new functions,” said Heiner Linke, Chair of the Nobel Committee for Chemistry.