Nobel Prize in Chemistry Honors Three Scientists for Innovative Studies on Metal-Organic Frameworks
This year's prestigious award in Chemistry goes to Susumu Kitagawa, Richard Robson, and Omar M Yaghi for their foundational work on metal-organic frameworks.
The scientists' research has potential to tackle numerous major worldwide problems, for instance CO2 capture to address environmental shifts or reducing plastic waste through innovative chemistry.
“It’s a profound honor and pleasure, thank you,” remarked the Japanese scientist during a call to the press briefing subsequent to learning the announcement.
“How much time must I spend here? I need to leave for a scheduled meeting,” Professor Kitagawa noted.
The three recipients receive prize money totaling 11 mln SEK (about £872k).
Structural Design on a Core of the Breakthrough
Their scientists' studies centers around how molecules are built collectively into intricate networks. The Nobel committee described it as “molecular architecture”.
The experts devised methods to create frameworks with substantial gaps amid the units, permitting different compounds to pass through them.
Such materials are called MOFs.
This announcement was delivered by the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences during a press event in Stockholm.
Professor Kitagawa is affiliated with the University of Kyoto in the Asian nation, Professor Richard Robson is at the Melbourne University in Australia, and Omar Yaghi resides at the University of California in the United States.
Previous Award Winners in Science Categories
In the previous year, Demis Hassabis, John Jumper, and David Baker received the prize for their work on proteins, which are critical building blocks of living organisms.
It is the third scientific award presented in the current week. Previously, three physicists earned the physics award for their research on quantum theory that enabled the advancement of the quantum computing system.
On Monday, 3 experts' studies on how the biological immunity targets harmful microbes earned them the award for physiology.
One recipient, Dr Fred Ramsdell, missed the notification for a full day because he was on an remote outing.
