Nobel Prize in Chemistry Celebrates 3 Researchers for Groundbreaking Studies on Metal-Organic Frameworks
The Nobel Prize in the field of chemistry goes to three distinguished scientists for their influential research on porous materials.
Their investigations has potential to tackle numerous major planetary problems, for instance trapping greenhouse gases to address global warming or minimizing synthetic debris through sophisticated chemical processes.
“It’s a profound honor and pleasure, thank you,” remarked Professor Kitagawa during a call with the press briefing subsequent to hearing the announcement.
“How much time must I spend here? I need to leave for a scheduled meeting,” the laureate added.
These 3 laureates will share monetary reward of 11 mln SEK (equivalent to £872,000).
Structural Design on a Core of the Discovery
The scientists' work focuses on how chemical compounds are structured in unison into intricate frameworks. Award organizers described it as “structural molecular engineering”.
These scientists formulated techniques to build structures with considerable voids amid the components, permitting various substances to flow through them.
Such materials are referred to as metal-organic frameworks.
The reveal was made by the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences during a press event in Stockholm, Sweden.
Professor Kitagawa is based at Kyoto University in Japan, Richard Robson is at the University of Melbourne in the Australian continent, and Professor Omar M. Yaghi is at the UC in the United States.
Recent Nobel Recipients in Science Categories
Last year, Demis Hassabis, John Jumper, and David Baker won the honor for their work on proteins, which are fundamental building blocks of biological systems.
This is the 3rd scientific recognition given this week. Previously, three physicists received the Physics Nobel for their work on subatomic physics that enabled the creation of the quantum processor.
On Monday, 3 experts' work on how the body's defenses targets harmful microbes won them the award for medicine.
One recipient, Fred Ramsdell, missed the news for a full day because he was on an remote hiking trip.