Chemistry Nobel Award Recognizes Three Experts for Innovative Work on Framework Materials
The prestigious award in Chemistry is given to Susumu Kitagawa, Richard Robson, and Omar M Yaghi for their foundational contributions on metal-organic frameworks.
The scientists' research could be applied to address numerous pressing planetary issues, for instance capturing carbon dioxide to address climate change or reducing synthetic debris through sophisticated scientific methods.
“I feel tremendously honored and overjoyed, many thanks,” said Prof. Kitagawa during a phone call with the news conference subsequent to learning the announcement.
“How much time must I spend here? I need to leave for a scheduled meeting,” he noted.
These three laureates are splitting prize money amounting to 11 mln SEK (£872,000).
Framework Construction at the Heart of their Discovery
Their scientists' work involves how molecules are structured in unison into elaborate structures. The selection panel termed it “structural molecular engineering”.
The scientists developed approaches to build structures with considerable voids amid the units, allowing gases and other chemicals to pass through them.
Such structures are known as MOFs.
This announcement was presented by the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences in a press event in Stockholm.
Professor Kitagawa is based at Kyoto University in the Asian nation, Richard Robson is associated with the Melbourne University in Australia, and Omar Yaghi resides at the UC in the USA.
Previous Nobel Recipients in Scientific Fields
Last year, Demis Hassabis, John Jumper, and David Baker received the prize for their research on biological molecules, which are essential elements of life.
This is the 3rd scientific award given in the current week. Previously, John Clarke, Michel H. Devoret and John M. Martinis earned the physics award for their contributions on subatomic physics that facilitated the development of the quantum computer.
Earlier, 3 scientists studies on how the biological immunity attacks pathogens earned them the honor for medical science.
A single winner, Dr Fred Ramsdell, missed the announcement for nearly a day because he was on an remote outing.
