Press release: Nobel Prize in chemistry 2025

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October 8, 2025

The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences has decided to award the Nobel Prize for Chemistry 2025

Susumu Kitagawa
Kyoto University, Japan

Richard Robson
University of Melbourne, Australia

Omar M. Yaghi
University of California, Berkeley, United States

“For the development of metal-organic frameworks”

Their molecular architecture contains rooms for chemistry

Nobel Prize winners in chemistry 2025 have created molecular constructions with large spaces through which gases and other chemicals can flow. These constructions, Metal-organic framesCan be used to harvest water from the desert air, capture carbon dioxide, store toxic gases or catalyze chemical reactions.

Susumu Kitagawa,, Richard Robson And Omar Yaghi Receive the Nobel Prize for Chemistry 2025. They have developed a new form of molecular architecture. In their constructions, metallic ions work like angular stones linked by long organic molecules (carbon -based). Together, metallic ions and molecules are organized to form crystals that contain large cavities. These porous materials are called metal-organic frameworks (MOF). By varying the construction blocks used in MOFs, chemists can design them to capture and store specific substances. MOFs can also cause chemical reactions or drive electricity.

“Metal-organic frames have enormous potential, offering previously unexpected opportunities for tailor-made materials with new functions,” said Heiner Linke, president of the Nobel Committee of Chemistry.

It all started in 1989, when Richard Robson tested using the inherent properties of atoms in a new way. He combined copper ions charged positively with a four -arms molecule; This had a chemical group that was attracted to copper ions at the end of each arm.

When they were combined, they linked to form a well -ordered and spacious crystal. It was like a diamond filled with countless cavities.

Robson immediately recognized the potential of its molecular construction, but it was unstable and collapsed easily. However, Susumu Kitagawa and Omar Yaghi provided this construction method a firm base; Between 1992 and 2003, they made a series of revolutionary discoveries separately. Kitagawa has shown that gases can circulate in and outside the constructions and predicts that MOFs could be made flexible. Yaghi has created a very stable MOF and has shown that it can be changed using a rational design, which gives it new and desirable properties.

After the revolutionary discoveries of the winners, the chemists built tens of different thousands of MOF. Some of them can help resolve some of the greatest challenges in humanity, with applications that include the separation of water PFASs, the decomposition of traces of pharmaceuticals in the environment, the capture of carbon dioxide or water harvest from desert air.

Illustrations

Illustrations are free to use for non -commercial purposes. Copyright attribute © Johan Jarnestad / The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences

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Learn more about this year’s price

Popular scientific context: they have created new chemistry rooms (PDF)
Scientific context at Nobel Prize in chemistry 2025 (PDF)

Susumu KitagawaBorn in 1951 in Kyoto, Japan. PHD 1979 from the University of Kyoto, Japan. Professor at Kyoto University, Japan.

Richard RobsonBorn in 1937 in Glusburn, United Kingdom. PHD 1962 of the University of Oxford, United Kingdom. Professor at the University of Melbourne, Australia.

Omar M. YaghiBorn in 1965 in Amman, Jordan. PHD 1990 from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, United States. Professor at the University of California, Berkeley, United States.

Price amount: 11 million Swedish kronor to share also between the winners
More information: www.kva.se and www.nobelprize.org
Press the contact: Eva Nevelius, press secretary, +46 70 878 67 63, [email protected]
Expert: OLOF Ramström, +46 70 433 42 60, [email protected]Member of the Nobel Committee for Chemistry

The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences, founded in 1739, is an independent organization whose global objective is to promote science and strengthen their influence in society. The Academy assumes a particular responsibility for natural sciences and mathematics, but strives to promote the exchange of ideas between various disciplines.

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