The Nobel Prize in Chemistry 2025 was celebrated in Sweden on the last October 9th
Richard Robson, Susumu Kitagawa and Omar Yaghi were awarded with 11 million Swedish kronor, for their new discoveries in the field of metal-organic frameworks (MOFs).
MOFs (metal-organic frameworks) are giant molecular constructions that connect metal ions with organic molecules. The result is a three-dimensional structure full of empty space. They are similar in structure to a diamond. But unlike diamond, which is solid and dense, MOFs are like sponges, able to absorb and store different substances such as gases.
It all started in 1989, when Richard Robson, through an experiment, constructed the first metal-organic structure with the capacity to hold gases. Behind this idea was a simple thought; molecules can naturally join together because of their chemical properties.
In his experiment, he used:
- Copper ions (Cu+), which carry a positive charge
- And a compound with four nitrile groups (-CN), each of which carry a slight negative charge.
As he predicted, these molecules were attracted naturally to each other creating the first 3D structure with space inside. Although he made a big discovery, the framework was unstable and could easily break.
Kitagawa took on the challenge to improve the framework.
For which, he used:
- Stronger metals such as Ni, Zn and Co.
- And better connecting groups than nitrile, such as 4,4’-bipyridine.
With this combination, he achieved stronger connections and a more stable 3D structure.
Yaghi continued their work and, in 1999, created a new material: MOF-5.
MOF-5 proved to be an incredibly stable structure, with a huge internal surface area. As just a few grams of it could fill the space equivalent of a football field. This was revolutionary, as it meant that big quantities of gas could be absorbed by it, much more than the zeolites, which until then had been the standard materials for gas storage.
He customized and created 16 variations of MOF-5, showing that MOFs can be designed with a specific purpose rather than assembled randomly.
Currently, MOFs are a major topic of research. Some examples in this field include:
- The Ionic liquid (IL)/MOF combination, which has been demonstrated to perform better at gas storage than pure MOFs.
With Carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions having a significant negative impact on climate change, scientists are actively working on finding ways to capture the excess carbon released into the atmosphere, mainly from industrial activities.
Molecular simulations of MOFs incorporated with other functional substances, such as ILs, have shown improved CO2 adsorption.
ILs offer the advantage of being selective in attracting specific molecules. For example, [BMIM][SCN], an ionic liquid, combined with a zinc-based MOF, IRMOF-1, have shown to be the most favourable at capturing CO2.
- With the rising usage of electrical vehicles, batteries with big capacities are required. For this reason, scientists are studying the implementation of polymer/MOF combination into real-life applications.
This hybridization has shown improvements in the performance and energy capacity of batteries and supercapacitors. Although MOFs have exceptional internal storage space, they are inherently poor electrical conductors. By combining MOFs with conductive polymers, researchers have found more efficient ion transport and stability.
Among the most promising combinations are PEO/UiO-66 and PVDF-HFP/ZIF-8, which have shown significant potential in recent studies.
At CymitQuimica, we offer several families of products related to the research recognized by the 2025 Nobel Prize in Chemistry, such as ionic liquids, polymers and metal–organic frameworks (MOFs), all available for research and scientific development.
For inquiries, contact us at support@cymitquimica.com and we will happily assist you.