Nobel Prize in Chemistry Honors 3 Researchers for Pioneering Research on Framework Materials
The prestigious award in Chemistry has been awarded to Susumu Kitagawa, Richard Robson, and Omar M Yaghi for their influential contributions on MOFs.
Their investigations may help tackle numerous significant planetary problems, for instance CO2 capture to fight climate change or reducing plastic waste through innovative chemical processes.
“It’s a profound honor and pleasure, thank you,” remarked the Japanese scientist during a call with the media event following learning the decision.
“How much time must I spend here? I need to leave for a scheduled meeting,” he noted.
These three recipients receive award funds totaling SEK 11 million (£872,000).
Framework Construction at the Center of their Breakthrough
The scientists' studies involves how chemical compounds are structured together into complex networks. The selection panel described it as “structural molecular engineering”.
The scientists formulated methods to create frameworks with large voids amid the components, enabling different compounds to flow within them.
These compounds are called metal-organic materials.
This announcement was presented by the Swedish scientific body in a press event in Stockholm.
Professor Kitagawa works at Kyoto University in Japan, Richard Robson is associated with the Melbourne University in Australia, and Omar Yaghi is at the UC in the United States.
Previous Nobel Winners in Science Fields
In the previous year, three other scientists were granted the honor for their research on proteins, which are fundamental building blocks of living organisms.
It is the third science recognition given recently. Earlier this week, John Clarke, Michel H. Devoret and John M. Martinis received the Physics Nobel for their contributions on quantum theory that enabled the creation of the quantum computing system.
Earlier, three researchers investigations on how the immune system combats pathogens won them the award for medical science.
A single winner, Dr. Ramsdell, missed the news for 20 hours because he was on an off-grid hiking trip.
