The Nobel Prize in Chemistry was awarded to Susumu Kitagawa, Richard Robson and Omar M. Yaghi, for their work on porous materials with exceptional properties, which could notably revolutionize the management of several major ecological issues.
More specifically, the three researchers developed what we now call MOF (metal-organic frameworks), or metal-organic structures in French. As their name suggests, they are hybrid compounds, consisting of metal ions linked by carbon-based ligands.
This chemical composition gives them a somewhat particular crystalline structure. The architecture of MOFs is somewhat reminiscent of that of a spongebecause they are studded with very many cavities. The difference is that these holes are absolutely tiny: their size is generally measured in millionths of a millimeteror a hundred thousand times less than the diameter of a human hair.
Gigantic potential
What is important is that these cavities allow gases as well as other substances to circulate. By varying their chemical composition, we can bring out a whole range of fascinating properties that could fuel major scientific and industrial revolutions.
They therefore have absolutely enormous potential that specialists have only scratched the surface for the moment. Companies are now looking to produce MOFs on an industrial scale to unlock very interesting applications.
Many of them concern environmental sciences. The example most often mentioned is the capture of CO₂, this greenhouse gas which is profoundly transforming our planet. Some MOFs are capable of selectively extracting it from the air, offering a glimpse of extremely efficient carbon capture and storage technologies – a blessing in disguise in the current climate context. Other variants also make it possible to filter certain unwanted molecules, such as heavy metals or other types of pollutants, to purify water without having to resort to a long chain of chemical processes.
Other work based on MOFs seeks to adapt these structures to create tailor-made catalytic sites – molecular structures capable of interacting with groups of atoms to enable or accelerate certain chemical reactions. These initiatives could pave the way for a wide range of extremely useful new substances, such as new drugs. MOFs are also mentioned in studies that explore a new generation of electronic devices, such as extremely precise sensors.
A field of research focused on the future
And the most exciting thing is that this is just the tip of the iceberg. As this field of research matures, new applications, each more promising than the last, will undoubtedly continue to emerge.
By rewarding Kitagawa, Robson and Yaghi, the Nobel committee is not only saluting a remarkable discovery: it is consecrating a fascinating chapter in scientific history, where fundamental research is directly put at the service of solving problems that are both very concrete and important. The road to maturity for MOFs remains long, but it will be fascinating to look at all the innovations that will undoubtedly emerge over the coming decades.
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