Each October, Nobel Prize laureates are announced to the world, sharing the exceptional innovations and creations of thinkers from around the globe. The Nobel Prize is a prestigious distinction awarded in six categories: physics, chemistry, physiology or medicine, literature, economic sciences, and peace. The Nobel Prize highlights exemplary and world-changing breakthroughs that global citizens can look up to as the top advancements of the year.

The Nobel Prize in Chemistry 2025 was awarded to Susumu Kitagawa, Richard Robson, and Omar M. Yaghi “for the development of metal-organic frameworks.” Metal-organic frameworks are composed of metal ions linked with carbon-based organic ligands that form a three-dimensional structure with cavities capable of capturing small molecules. Robson pioneered the innovation, creating an ordered crystal with cavities. Kitagawa showed that gases could flow through MOFs, and Yaghi created a stable and modifiable MOF. After these groundbreaking scientists laid the groundwork for MOFs, chemists continued to experiment with these porous materials, which can be designed for specific purposes. They have applications in gas storage, separation, and catalysis, and can be engineered to absorb and fit particular molecules, adding specificity to target molecules. Additionally, scientists augmented MOFs with groups that react with the molecules absorbed by the framework, catalyzing their reaction upon entering the structure. This innovation creates a pathway for substances to be absorbed by MOFs, altered, and released back into the environment. The potential for these metal-organic frameworks to revolutionize environmental justice and climate action is incredible. For example, MOFs have been engineered to separate PFAs from water and harvest water from desert air (The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences).

Figure 1. 3D Diamonoid Metal-Organic Framework.

Figure 2. Featured Metal-Organic Frameworks on the Nobel Prize’s Scientific Background. 

Figure 1 displays a 3D diamonoid framework made of copper ions and nitrile, with labeled cavities. These cavities are spaces that can absorb gas molecules and catalyze reactions. Figure 2 illustrates the diversity of framework structures that can be engineered for target molecules. For example, some of these frameworks are designed for the absorption of water, H2, CO2, PFAs, and rare-earth metals, with different structures equipped with varying pore sizes and possibly even a mechanically interlocked mechanism and proton conductivity capabilities (The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences).

While these metal-organic frameworks have a plethora of uses in fuel cell technology, biosensors, and drug delivery, they also have incredible applications for environmental justice. MOFs have the potential to revolutionize climate action and the future of sustainability. In addition to their highly tunable features, MOFs are chemically stable, cost-effective, scalable, and recyclable. Most notably, MOFs have been shown to be proficient in the following four environmentally focused applications (The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences):

1. Harvest Water from Low-Humidity Air

Scientists are confident that MOF water harvesters will “alleviate water issues related to national security, purity, and accessibility.”

Figure 3. Configuration of a Metal-Organic Framework Water Harvester.

In arid regions of the world, there is little moisture in the atmosphere, meaning air must be cooled to a low temperature to condense water. For over a billion people in these regions, this property makes it impractical to harvest water from their surrounding desert air. MOFs offer a solution by trapping water in a framework, increasing humidity in a closed system, and allowing the water to be easily harvested in this high-humidity environment. Figure 3 illustrates the configuration of a MOF water harvester (Song et al.). Scientists have created multiple generations of water harvester devices, presenting a promising future for global water independence (Xu et al.).

2. Water Purification & Environmental Remediation

Figure 4. Water Purification Device with a Metal-Organic Frameworks. 

Water disinfection is vital for creating safe drinking water, and scientists have developed a MOF device to eliminate oxyanions. Figure 4 illustrates a device equipped with MOFs that trap ClO2− and ClO3− oxyanions to produce potable water (Sanchez-Cano et al.). Given the specificity of MOF engineering, scientists have the potential to filter specific contaminants based on a water source’s composition.

3. Capture & destruction of harmful agents.

Figure 5. Carbon Dioxide Capture and Conversion Schematic. 

The discussion around climate change necessitates solutions to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. MOFs are a viable option to catalyze the conversion of CO2 into valuable chemical products. Devices with MOFs can target CO2 emissions at their source, processing the gas through purification and separation to effectively reduce greenhouse gas release into the atmosphere. MOFs are engineered for selectivity, adsorption capacity, and conversion efficiency. Electrochemical reduction of CO2 can produce formic acid, which can generate electricity in fuel cells and is economically viable. Additionally, MOFs have been engineered to convert CO2 into methanol, methanoic acid, syngas, and hydrocarbons. Scientists continue to search for the best MOF as a reliable catalyst for CO2 capture and conversion to mitigate the worsening of global warming disasters. Figure 5 illustrates a MOF structure that converts carbon dioxide into more valuable molecules (Al-Rowaili et al.).

The innovations of MOFs for environmental justice and sustainable applications are promising, but the current challenge lies in transitioning these scientific breakthroughs into large-scale production. Synthesizing these highly engineerable structures can involve toxic chemicals and harsh conditions with high temperatures and pressures. Only a few MOFs have been mass-produced, and even fewer have reached implementation. With a push toward green chemistry, MOF production must be improved to optimize yield and minimize safety and environmental hazards. Given time to refine MOF products, these innovations have great potential to revolutionize climate action and environmental justice (Xie and Li).

The Nobel Prize in Chemistry 2025 highlights an innovative approach to sustainability with the potential to alleviate the globe’s climate crisis and resource depletion. As we look toward the future, Nobel Prize-winning projects instill optimism for innovation and advancements that can improve the world.

Works Cited

Al-Rowaili, Fayez Nasir, et al. “A Review for Metal-Organic Frameworks (MOFs) Utilization in Capture and Conversion of Carbon Dioxide into Valuable Products.” Journal of CO2 Utilization, vol. 53, Nov. 2021, p. 101715, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jcou.2021.101715.

Sanchez-Cano, Gabriel, et al. “Drinking Water Purification Using Metal-Organic Frameworks: Removal of Disinfection By-Products.” Chem, Nov. 2024, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chempr.2024.10.023. Accessed 17 Dec. 2024.

Song, Woochul, et al. “MOF Water Harvester Produces Water from Death Valley Desert Air in Ambient Sunlight.” Nature Water, 6 July 2023, https://doi.org/10.1038/s44221-023-00103-7.

The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences. “Nobel Prize Advanced Information.” NobelPrize.org, Oct. 2025, www.nobelprize.org/prizes/chemistry/2025/advanced-information/. Accessed 3 Nov. 2025.

—. “Nobel Prize in Chemistry 2025.” NobelPrize.org, Oct. 2025, www.nobelprize.org/prizes/chemistry/2025/press-release/. Accessed 3 Nov. 2025.

Xie, Feng, and Jing Li. “Toward Scalable and Sustainable Synthesis of Metal–Organic Frameworks.” ACS Materials Letters, vol. 6, no. 6, 17 May 2024, pp. 2400–2408, https://doi.org/10.1021/acsmaterialslett.4c00731.

Xu, Wentao, and Omar M. Yaghi. “Metal–Organic Frameworks for Water Harvesting from Air, Anywhere, Anytime.” ACS Central Science, vol. 6, no. 8, 13 July 2020, pp. 1348–1354, https://doi.org/10.1021/acscentsci.0c00678.