Chemistry Nobel Award Honors 3 Scientists for Pioneering Research on MOF Structures
This year's Nobel Prize in the field of chemistry has been awarded to three distinguished scientists for their seminal research on porous materials.
Their investigations has potential to tackle numerous pressing global issues, for instance CO2 capture to fight global warming or reducing plastic pollution through innovative chemistry.
“It’s a profound honor and pleasure, thank you,” stated Professor Kitagawa in a telephone conversation to the news conference after receiving the decision.
“What’s the duration I need to remain? I have an appointment to attend,” he continued.
These 3 winners receive prize money totaling SEK 11 million (about £872k).
Framework Construction at the Heart of their Discovery
Their scientists' studies centers around how chemical compounds are built collectively into complex frameworks. The Nobel committee referred to it as “molecular architecture”.
These professors devised methods to construct assemblies with substantial voids among the units, allowing various substances to flow via them.
Such materials are known as MOFs.
The reveal was made by the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences in a press event in Stockholm, Sweden.
Susumu Kitagawa is based at Kyoto University in the Asian nation, Prof. Robson is associated with the University of Melbourne in the Australian continent, and Omar Yaghi is at the California University in the United States.
Earlier Nobel Laureates in Science Fields
During the prior award cycle, Demis Hassabis, John Jumper, and David Baker won the honor for their studies on biological molecules, which are fundamental elements of biological systems.
It is the third scientific recognition awarded this week. On Tuesday, John Clarke, Michel H. Devoret and John M. Martinis received the physics award for their research on quantum theory that enabled the development of the quantum computing system.
On Monday, three scientists investigations on how the body's defenses combats pathogens won them the prize for physiology.
One winner, Fred Ramsdell, was unaware of the news for a full day because he was on an remote trek.
