"This is a very exciting time for the field of chemistry and materials science as metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) finally receive recognition.

MOFs are crystalline, LEGO‑like sponges with enormous internal surface area that can be tailored to trap, separate, or transform specific molecules.

It is especially fitting that the Nobel Committee has recognised the origins of MOF research in polymer chemistry by including the pioneering work of Professor Richard Robson in first creating these LEGO-like structures of polymers and metal ions. The later developments of Professor Kitagawa and Professor Yaghi in creating three-dimensional porous crystals set the field alight, which has enabled the manufacture of materials with immense surface areas – above 10,000 m²/g for some MOFs (as big as several football fields!) – and great chemical diversity. For the last decade, research in MOFs has seen their implementation in many applications ranging from their use as adsorbents of water and pollutants, in gas separation and purification, in catalysis, and in battery research.

The fields of polymer and materials chemistry, engineering, nanoporous materials and nanochemistry are all celebrating today.

Potential applications of MOFs:

• Climate and clean air: Capture carbon dioxide from flue gas or even ambient air; scrub ammonia, sulphur compounds and other pollutants; store hydrogen or methane more safely at lower pressures.
• Water from air: Special MOFs soak up humidity overnight and release liquid water with gentle heating – with promising applications for off-grid and arid regions.
• Smarter separations: Replace energy-intensive distillation by sieving out one gas or liquid from another (eg plucking CO₂ from a gas mix or removing trace impurities that foul equipment).
• Sensors and safety: Detect explosives, toxic industrial chemicals or food-spoilage gases at very low levels; filter cartridges that "lock away" hazardous vapours.
• Catalysis and green chemistry: MOFs can speed up reactions or steer them towards cleaner products in making pharmaceuticals and fine chemicals.
• Biomedicine (research stage): Porous, degradable MOFs can carry drugs, protect fragile molecules like enzymes, or release therapeutic gases (eg nitric oxide) on cue."

“This Nobel Prize has been awarded to the field of metal-organic frameworks (MOFs), originally known as coordination polymers. This field was invented by Richard Robson at the University of Melbourne in the late 1980s, with his seminal paper outlining (and demonstrating) the concepts we still use today published in 1989. This work was later built upon by Susuma Kitagawa and Omar Yaghi to create a new type of chemistry that now sees thousands of publications a year and has applications from capturing carbon dioxide and water out of the atmosphere to new types of catalysts for cleaner chemical synthesis. These new types of materials, which often function like molecular sponges or molecular sieves, are cleverly yet simply designed to consist of metal ions connected by organic molecules which assemble themselves together under the right conditions into scaffolding-like infinite frameworks.  In our own work we are investigating these new types of materials, which often function like molecular sponges or molecular sieves, to separate chemicals in low energy ways, such as separating metals from electronic waste or rare earth elements from each other and from ores.”

“Australia’s (Richard Robson’s) Nobel Prize win for Metal-Organic Frameworks (MOF) is a powerful example of how years of sustained effort and support on long-term scientific research leads to real-world impact in clean energy and beyond - especially at a time when the value of research is under debate.

As for real-world applications - MOFs are now used in critical areas such as greenhouse gas capture, clean energy storage, drug delivery, and medical imaging, showing how foundational research evolves into practical solutions.

Building on Richard’s pioneering work, across Australia there are researchers who are making MOFs that can tackle some of the world’s biggest problems, from removing pollutants like PFAS from water, to harvesting water from air, and capturing greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide. Just one teaspoon of a MOF can have the surface area of a football field. What began as fundamental scientific curiosity has grown into a transformative innovation, and it’s a reminder that chemistry offers powerful solutions to global problems.

This recognition honours Richard’s decades of dedication as a researcher and educator in coordination and inorganic chemistry.

What began as fundamental scientific curiosity has grown into a transformative innovation - MOFs are now helping solve some of the world’s biggest challenges, from greenhouse gas capture and catalysis to drug delivery and medical imaging.

And at a time when the value of research is being questioned, Richard’s story is a powerful reminder of how scientific research leads to real-world impact.”

"The Nobel Prize for MOFs is a truly thrilling moment for our community. It celebrates not only scientific brilliance but decades of mentorship and generosity that have shaped so many of our careers. I feel deeply privileged to have a personal link to this legacy as my PhD supervisor was himself supervised by Professor Richard Robson (so my academic grandfather in a way!), who was one of the pioneers whose vision helped shape the foundations of MOF chemistry. Richard’s curiosity and commitment remain undimmed; he’s still in the lab even today, still asking new questions. That spirit of discovery is what makes this field so special."

"What a moment for those of us who love MOFs! It’s not every day that they grab the headlines, but they sure do today with the 2025 Nobel Prize in Chemistry awarded to three pioneers in the field: Richard Robson, Susumu Kitagawa, and Omar Yaghi. It’s an honour to call these outstanding scientists colleagues, and our own research truly stands on the shoulders of these giants.

What are MOFs (metal-organic frameworks)? Crystalline sponges with networks of tiny pores. Rather than being dense and impervious, like a salt crystal for example, MOFs can host molecules in their pores. The allows them to do cool stuff like separate mixtures (by selectively capturing one molecule), catalyse reactions, and deliver payloads by slowly releasing trapped molecules.

The design of MOFs is where chemistry meets art. They are truly beautiful crystalline structures, with their functional properties that stem from the building blocks that are used to construct them. Chemists - today's Nobel laureates and many others inspired by them - have been able to design MOFs with spectacular properties by getting these building blocks to assemble in the right way. A huge shout-out to researchers and students in the MOF community who have made this happen.

MOFs have been my research passion for the past 20 years because they combine two things that I love: synthesis and X-ray crystallography. It’s been a privilege for my team to contribute in a small way to this field, and to see one of our discoveries, MUF-16, commercialised for CO₂ capture via Captivate Technology.

On a personal note, Susumu was a kind and generous host when I visited Kyoto in 2007, just as I was getting into MOF research. Omar has long been an inspiration and his group's 2002 Science paper remains my favourite article of all time. Richard's papers from the 1990s were truly visionary. I chaired the MOF-2018 conference Auckland, and we had the pleasure of bringing Richard and Omar together to open the event and Susumu to deliver an after-dinner speech. How brilliant that they’ll have another rendez-vous in Stockholm soon!"

"Metal Organic Frameworks are an incredible family of materials. They are made by connecting metal atoms to one another by an organic linker molecule, and when conditions are right, they form an extended framework structure where up to 85% of the internal space of the MOF is an open pore, and every single atom is an exposed surface. This internal space can be used like a sponge or a sieve. By changing the combination of ingredients, hundreds of thousands of different MOFs can be made, and tailored to applications such as separating carbon dioxide from the air, harvesting water, or protecting people from harmful gases.

The three laureates are the perfect awardees, and have each played a crucial role in establishing and leading the field. Here in Australia, there is a whole generation of researchers who have been inspired by their work, and in particular the pioneering efforts of Professor Robson. The commercialisation of MOFs is active here in Australia, with start-ups spinning out of CSIRO, Monash and Sydney Universities.

This is a singular moment for Australian materials science."

“This is the kind of blue-sky research that not many people get the opportunity to explore, and even fewer make the kinds of breakthroughs Professor Robson has achieved. Australia needs to recognise that this long-term fundamental research is what allows us to then translate that research into products, like the ability to store and transfer hydrogen safely. As long as we continue searching for solutions for the world’s greatest challenges, fundamental research is essential. There are still serious scientific and technological hurdles to overcome. If we are to solve these, it will be drawing on the foundation of long-term fundamental research that universities enable. This is a testament to Professor Robson and others who are inspired and motivated by a deep curiosity about how the world works, and to the institutions that support and enable long-term fundamental research for the benefit of society."

“Professor Robson is a humble man who has achieved this honour by simply doing what he loves – going into the lab every day, talking with students, thinking big chemistry thoughts for decades and running experiments. He has been a valued member of our School of Chemistry for almost 60 years and has collaborated with and inspired countless academics and students with his wisdom and the wonderful story of how he came to build the first examples of what are now known as metal-organic frameworks. This award will no doubt spark a flurry of further research to develop MOFs into products that could be crucial to the renewable energy revolution. This is a wonderful day for Professor Robson and Australian science.”