Why in news?
The 2025 Nobel Prize in Chemistry was awarded to Susumu Kitagawa, Richard Robson and Omar Yaghi for the discovery and development of metal‑organic frameworks (MOFs). Their work created a new class of materials with highly ordered, porous structures that have many practical applications.
What are metal‑organic frameworks?
MOFs are crystalline substances made by connecting metal ions with organic molecules to form a lattice. The structure resembles a three‑dimensional scaffold with a vast internal surface area and tunable pore sizes. The researchers’ innovations allowed these frameworks to be designed like modular Lego pieces, tailored for specific tasks.
Key features
- Super‑porosity: MOFs have enormous internal surface areas – a gram of MOF can have the surface area of a football field – enabling them to trap gases and molecules.
- Custom design: Chemists can choose different metal nodes and organic linkers to create structures with desired properties.
- Breathing materials: Some MOFs can expand and contract like a sponge when absorbing or releasing molecules.
- Durability: Many MOFs are stable at high temperatures and under different chemical conditions.
- Ease of synthesis: They can often be made at room temperature using simple methods.
Applications
- Carbon capture: MOFs can absorb carbon dioxide from power plant emissions and help mitigate climate change.
- Water harvesting: Certain MOFs draw water from desert air, offering hope for addressing water scarcity.
- Clean energy storage: They can store gases such as hydrogen and methane safely and efficiently for fuel cells and vehicles.
- Pollution control: MOFs trap toxic pollutants, making air and water purification systems more effective.
- Catalysis and drug delivery: MOFs act as catalysts in chemical reactions and can carry drugs to specific parts of the body.
The award highlights how fundamental research can lead to materials that address pressing environmental and energy challenges.