Chemistry Nobel Award Honors 3 Experts for Innovative Research on MOF Structures
This year's Nobel Prize in Chemistry is given to three distinguished scientists for their seminal work on MOFs.
The scientists' research may help tackle numerous pressing planetary issues, including trapping greenhouse gases to address global warming or curbing plastic pollution through sophisticated chemical processes.
“I feel tremendously honored and overjoyed, many thanks,” remarked the Japanese scientist via a telephone conversation with the media event following learning the announcement.
“How much time must I spend here? I need to leave for a scheduled meeting,” he continued.
The three winners will share award funds of 11 million Swedish kronor (about £872k).
Framework Construction at the Core of the Achievement
The scientists' studies focuses on how molecular units are built in unison into elaborate networks. The Nobel committee described it as “molecular design”.
The experts developed techniques to build frameworks with large spaces between the molecules, enabling different compounds to pass within them.
Such structures are known as metal-organic frameworks.
The reveal was made by the academic institution during a press event in Stockholm, Sweden.
Professor Kitagawa is based at the University of Kyoto in Japan, Richard Robson is associated with the Melbourne University in Australia, and Professor Omar M. Yaghi is at the California University in the US.
Recent Award Winners in Scientific Categories
During the prior award cycle, Demis Hassabis, John Jumper, and David Baker won the honor for their studies on proteins, which are essential components of life.
This is the 3rd scientific prize presented in the current week. On Tuesday, three physicists received the physics award for their work on quantum theory that paved the way for the advancement of the quantum computer.
Earlier, 3 scientists studies on how the biological immunity combats hostile infections secured them the award for medicine.
One recipient, Dr Fred Ramsdell, did not receive the notification for nearly a day because he was on an disconnected hiking trip.