Chemistry Nobel Award Celebrates Three Scientists for Innovative Studies on Metal-Organic Frameworks
This year's prestigious award in the field of chemistry goes to Susumu Kitagawa, Richard Robson, and Omar M Yaghi for their foundational work on MOFs.
Their studies may help solve numerous significant worldwide issues, including CO2 capture to combat environmental shifts or curbing plastic waste through sophisticated scientific methods.
“I feel tremendously honored and overjoyed, many thanks,” said the Japanese scientist during a phone call to the press briefing after receiving the decision.
“What’s the duration I need to remain? I have an appointment to attend,” he continued.
These 3 winners will share monetary reward amounting to 11 mln SEK (about £872k).
Molecular Architecture on a Core of the Discovery
The scientists' work focuses on how chemical compounds can be assembled together into complex structures. The Nobel committee termed it “molecular architecture”.
The scientists formulated methods to build assemblies with substantial spaces between the units, allowing gases and other chemicals to flow within them.
Such compounds are known as metal-organic frameworks.
The announcement was made by the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences in a press event in Stockholm, Sweden.
Susumu Kitagawa is based at the University of Kyoto in Japan, Professor Richard Robson is associated with the University of Melbourne in Australia, and Prof. Yaghi resides at the California University in the USA.
Previous Award Recipients in Scientific Categories
In the previous year, three other scientists won the honor for their work on biological molecules, which are essential components of biological systems.
This is the 3rd science award awarded recently. On Tuesday, John Clarke, Michel H. Devoret and John M. Martinis received the physics award for their research on quantum mechanics that facilitated the creation of the quantum processor.
At the start of the week, 3 scientists investigations on how the body's defenses combats hostile infections earned them the prize for physiology.
A single laureate, Dr Fred Ramsdell, was unaware of the announcement for nearly a day because he was on an remote outing.
