Chemistry Nobel Award Recognizes 3 Researchers for Groundbreaking Studies on Framework Materials
This year's prestigious award in the field of chemistry has been awarded to Susumu Kitagawa, Richard Robson, and Omar M Yaghi for their seminal work on MOFs.
The scientists' studies has potential to solve numerous significant planetary challenges, such as trapping greenhouse gases to fight environmental shifts or reducing synthetic debris through sophisticated scientific methods.
“I feel tremendously honored and overjoyed, many thanks,” said Prof. Kitagawa via a phone call with the media event after hearing the news.
“How much time must I spend here? I need to leave for a scheduled meeting,” Professor Kitagawa noted.
The three recipients are splitting monetary reward totaling 11 million Swedish kronor (£872,000).
Molecular Architecture on a Center of their Discovery
The researchers' work involves how molecular units are structured collectively into complex networks. The Nobel committee described it as “structural molecular engineering”.
The scientists formulated approaches to construct frameworks with large voids amid the units, allowing various substances to travel through them.
These materials are called MOFs.
This declaration was presented by the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences during a press event in the Swedish capital.
Professor Kitagawa works at Kyoto University in Japan, Prof. Robson is associated with the Melbourne University in the Australian continent, and Omar Yaghi is at the California University in the US.
Earlier Award Recipients in Scientific Categories
During the prior award cycle, three other scientists received the prize for their studies on protein structures, which are essential elements of life.
This is the 3rd scientific award presented this week. Previously, John Clarke, Michel H. Devoret and John M. Martinis received the Nobel Prize in Physics for their research on quantum mechanics that enabled the advancement of the quantum computer.
At the start of the week, 3 scientists investigations on how the immune system combats harmful microbes earned them the award for medicine.
A single laureate, Fred Ramsdell, missed the news for a full day because he was on an remote hiking trip.
