The Nobel Prize in Chemistry was awarded Oct. 8 to Susumu Kitagawa of Kyoto University, Richard Robson of University of Melbourne and former University of Michigan professor Omar Yaghi for the development of a new form of molecular architecture known as metal-organic frameworks. Each laureate was recognized for their individual contributions to the field of reticular chemistry. Yaghi was a professor of the U-M department of Chemistry from 1999 to 2006, where he initiated much of the groundbreaking research that led to his award.
In 1989, Robson developed the first metal-organic framework, which can be used to capture and store specific substances by varying the building blocks used in their formation. Between 1992 and 2003, Kitagawa discovered that MOFs could be made flexible for the purpose of capturing and releasing gases. In that same time frame, Yaghi also discovered that MOFs could be stably constructed.
In an email to The Michigan Daily, Yaghi wrote the discovery of MOFs demonstrated that it was possible to create both strong and porous materials.
“The breakthrough came in 1995, when we showed for the first time that you could design and build stable, highly porous crystalline materials—what we now call metal–organic frameworks (MOFs)—by linking molecular building blocks using strong chemical bonds,” Yaghi wrote. “This discovery marked a turning point, showing that it was possible to design materials with atomic precision to achieve both robustness and unprecedented porosity.”
Yaghi wrote his inspiration in developing MOFs was its ability to help solve real-world challenges.
“What inspired me most was the possibility of constructing porous, crystalline frameworks by stitching molecular building blocks together using strong, predictable bonds,” Yaghi wrote. “This led to the development of reticular chemistry and the creation of both metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) and covalent organic frameworks (COFs), opening new avenues to design materials with atomic precision. These frameworks are not just scientifically elegant—they offer practical solutions to global challenges such as clean energy, water harvesting and carbon capture.”
Although each laureate was awarded for making their own discoveries over the years, they were not working alone. Yaghi wrote that collaboration was key in advancing his research.
“Collaboration has been absolutely essential to the progress of my research,” Yaghi wrote. “The field of reticular chemistry, especially the design and application of MOFs and COFs, thrives at the intersection of many disciplines: chemistry, physics, engineering, materials science, and environmental science. Working with experts from different fields has allowed us to push the boundaries of what these materials can do, from water harvesting and carbon capture to clean energy storage.”
In an interview with The Daily, Adam Matzger, professor of chemistry and principal investigator of the Matzger Research Group, said working with Yaghi pushed him to further explore MOF research.
“I would have never gotten into this area if it weren’t for the fact that Yaghi was a couple of doors down and was always talking about these materials and how great they were,” Matzger said. “So then we collaborated. It was absolutely critical. I mean, most of the discoveries for this prize were made here at (the University), at least for the Yaghi portion of it.”
In an interview with The Daily, Rackham student Yulia Rakova, Matzger Research Group member, said it was good to see a former U-M professor awarded this year.
“I think most of us were expecting (the win), it was only time until they won,” Rakova said. “I think a lot of people’s predictions every year is MOFs are going to get a Nobel, because they were such novel thing when they were discovered, 20, 25 years ago. (MOFs) do have a lot of potential and they’ve shown very promising results, especially in terms of gas capture and now people are going into different fields. wider, different fields, like pharmaceuticals, energetics.”
In an interview with The Daily, U-M chemistry professor Neil Marsh said he drew on Yaghi’s MOF research and applied it to his own related work in protein design.
“Some of the ideas that Yaghi developed to actually design MOFs we have actually taken and used in some of the research projects that we’ve done in protein design,” Marsh said. “So whether those ideas are down to MOFs, or whether it’s a more general idea that has been used in many different fields, it’s hard to say.”
Marsh said he is excited for the future of MOFs and the opportunities they present.
“There may be all kinds of interesting applications, I think, particularly in the areas of storing gases,” Marsh said. “One potential exciting avenue, I think, is the ability to design these materials so that they can absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, perhaps develop technologies that can remove carbon dioxide on a large scale.”
Daily News Contributor Adrianne Totu-Frank can be reached at atfrank@umich.edu.
