{"id":693974,"date":"2025-10-10T03:45:11","date_gmt":"2025-10-10T00:45:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/an-australian-chemist-just-won-the-nobel-prize-heres-how-his-work-is-changing-the-world\/"},"modified":"2025-10-10T03:45:11","modified_gmt":"2025-10-10T00:45:11","slug":"an-australian-chemist-just-won-the-nobel-prize-heres-how-his-work-is-changing-the-world","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/an-australian-chemist-just-won-the-nobel-prize-heres-how-his-work-is-changing-the-world\/","title":{"rendered":"An Australian chemist just won the Nobel Prize. Here&#8217;s how his work is changing the world"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_85 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-custom ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<label for=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6a4147f609bff\" class=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-label\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #dd3333;color:#dd3333\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #dd3333;color:#dd3333\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/label><input type=\"checkbox\"  id=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6a4147f609bff\" checked aria-label=\"Toggle\" \/><nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/an-australian-chemist-just-won-the-nobel-prize-heres-how-his-work-is-changing-the-world\/#A_personal_connection\" >A personal connection<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/an-australian-chemist-just-won-the-nobel-prize-heres-how-his-work-is-changing-the-world\/#So_what_are_MOFs\" >So, what are MOFs?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/an-australian-chemist-just-won-the-nobel-prize-heres-how-his-work-is-changing-the-world\/#The_long_road_to_real-world_applications\" >The long road to real-world applications<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<div>\n<div class=\"article-gallery lightGallery\">\n<div data-thumb=\"https:\/\/scx1.b-cdn.net\/csz\/news\/tmb\/2025\/an-australian-chemist.jpg\" data-src=\"https:\/\/scx2.b-cdn.net\/gfx\/news\/2025\/an-australian-chemist.jpg\" data-sub-html=\"Richard Robson was making a molecular model for class when he came up with the idea that became MOFs. Credit: Paul Burston\/University of Melbourne\">\n<figure class=\"article-img\">\n            <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/scx1.b-cdn.net\/csz\/news\/800a\/2025\/an-australian-chemist.jpg\" alt=\"An Australian chemist just won the Nobel prize. Here's how his work is changing the world\" title=\"Richard Robson was making a molecular model for class when he came up with the idea that became MOFs. Credit: Paul Burston\/University of Melbourne\" width=\"800\" height=\"446\"\/><figcaption class=\"text-darken text-low-up text-truncate-js text-truncate mt-3\">\n                Richard Robson was making a molecular model for class when he came up with the idea that became MOFs. Credit: Paul Burston\/University of Melbourne<br \/>\n            <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>The 2025 Nobel Prize in chemistry <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nobelprize.org\/prizes\/chemistry\/2025\/press-release\/\" target=\"_blank\">has been awarded<\/a> for the development of metal\u2013organic frameworks: molecular structures that have large spaces within them, capable of capturing and storing gases and other chemicals.<\/p>\n<p>The <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/theconversation.com\/nobel-chemistry-prize-awarded-for-crystal-materials-that-could-revolutionise-green-technology-267033\" target=\"_blank\">prize is shared<\/a> by Susumu Kitagawa from Kyoto University, Omar M. Yaghi from the University of California, Berkeley, and an Australian professor\u2014Richard Robson from the University of Melbourne.<\/p>\n<p>Robson first discovered the metal\u2013organic frameworks, known as MOFs for short, in 1989, with his close collaborator Bernard Hoskins.<\/p>\n<p>At a time when the <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/theconversation.com\/nobel-laureate-brian-schmidt-is-scared-about-australias-research-capacity-this-is-why-257717\" target=\"_blank\">value of research is being questioned<\/a>, Robson&#8217;s story is a powerful reminder of how scientific research leads to real-world impact after years of sustained effort and support.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"A_personal_connection\"><\/span>A personal connection<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Like many other Australian scientists, I was inspired to pursue research in MOFs because of professor Richard Robson. He&#8217;s still working in the lab at nearly 90, mentoring students, teaching and collaborating with many of us. This recognition honors Richard&#8217;s decades of dedication as a researcher and educator in coordination and inorganic chemistry.<\/p>\n<p>I&#8217;ve had the great fortune of being among his many collaborators, and he&#8217;s left an indelible mark. With Richard and his close colleague, University of Melbourne professor Richard Abrahams, we have explored how electrons move around <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.publish.csiro.au\/CH\/issue\/9431\" target=\"_blank\">inside MOFs<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>As young chemists, we first learned about Richard&#8217;s discovery in undergraduate lectures. It&#8217;s an inspiring story of the deep connection between teaching and research in our universities.<\/p>\n<p>While the work that led to these materials was fundamental <a href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/sciencee\/\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"5\" title=\"Science\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">science<\/a>, Richard&#8217;s achievement shows that deep, curiosity-driven research has critically important real-world impacts.<\/p>\n<p>What began as scientific curiosity for Richard as he prepared models of chemicals to demonstrate to his undergraduate chemistry students, has grown into a transformative innovation. MOFs are now helping solve some of the world&#8217;s biggest challenges, from greenhouse gas capture to drug delivery and medical imaging.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"mb-4\" itemscope=\"\" itemtype=\"http:\/\/schema.org\/VideoObject\">\n    <meta itemprop=\"name\" content=\"An Australian chemist just won the Nobel prize. Here's how his work is changing the world\"\/><br \/>\n    <meta itemprop=\"url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch\/?v=OIG02qJr9ps\"\/><br \/>\n    <meta itemprop=\"description\" content=\"Olof Ramstr\u00f6m, professor of organic chemistry and member of the Nobel Committee for Chemistry, explains MOFs.\"\/><br \/>\n    <meta itemprop=\"uploadDate\" content=\"2025-10-09T10:05:14-04:00\"\/><br \/>\n        <meta itemprop=\"embedUrl\" content=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/OIG02qJr9ps\"\/><br \/>\n    <meta itemprop=\"thumbnailUrl\" content=\"https:\/\/img.youtube.com\/vi\/OIG02qJr9ps\/maxresdefault.jpg\"\/><\/p>\n<p>\n             <iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"&quot;They have taken basic principles of chemistry and have been able to build remarkable materials.&quot;\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/OIG02qJr9ps?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n         <\/p><figcaption class=\"text-darken text-low-up mt-4\" itemprop=\"caption\">Olof Ramstr\u00f6m, professor of organic chemistry and member of the Nobel Committee for Chemistry, explains MOFs.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"So_what_are_MOFs\"><\/span>So, what are MOFs?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Metal\u2013organic frameworks are incredibly porous crystalline materials that are made up of metal ions, linked by organic bridges.<\/p>\n<p>Think of a sponge where the holes are on the atomic scale. One teaspoon of one of these materials can have a surface area of a football field.<\/p>\n<p>The shapes, sizes and functionality of these tiny pores can be changed, much like an architect designing a building where the rooms each have different functions and can carry out different tasks.<\/p>\n<p>There are now tens of thousands of MOFs. Some are used to <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.science.org\/doi\/10.1126\/science.aam8743\" target=\"_blank\">capture water from desert air<\/a>. Others have been designed to remove greenhouse gases such as <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/advanced.onlinelibrary.wiley.com\/doi\/10.1002\/adfm.202307478\" target=\"_blank\">carbon dioxide from the atmosphere<\/a>. Yet others <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1016\/j.matt.2022.07.028\" target=\"_blank\">can clean Earth&#8217;s waterways<\/a> by capturing and removing potentially harmful chemicals.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"The_long_road_to_real-world_applications\"><\/span>The long road to real-world applications<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>While there are now companies scaling MOFs to help address major global problems, Richard began this work many decades ago.<\/p>\n<p>In 2018, in a plenary lecture at the <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.rsc.org\/events\/detail\/27811\/mof2018\" target=\"_blank\">6th global MOFs conference<\/a> in Auckland, New Zealand, he described how he was preparing molecular models for a lecture when the idea struck him.<\/p>\n<div class=\"ads w-100 my-4 article-main__more bg-light p-3 border\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\n<p class=\"mb-3\">\n        Discover the latest in science, tech, and space with over <strong>100,000 subscribers<\/strong> who rely on Phys.org for daily insights.<br \/>\n        Sign up for our <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/sciencex.com\/help\/newsletter\/\" target=\"_blank\">free newsletter<\/a> and get updates on breakthroughs,<br \/>\n        innovations, and research that matter\u2014<strong>daily or weekly<\/strong>.\n    <\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>Richard reasoned that metal ions such as copper could be connected in a systematic and controlled way to other atoms such as carbon and nitrogen using coordination chemistry. It&#8217;s essentially like molecular Lego, where one piece can only click into the other in a particular way.<\/p>\n<p>With his colleague Bernard Hoskins, they recognized that the geometric structure was ordered and contained innumerable cavities. Over the following decade, fellow Nobel recipients Kitagawa and Yaghi made subsequent discoveries that showed how these materials could be made stable, and designed in a controlled way.<\/p>\n<p>Of the tens of thousands of MOFs now known, a number are making it through to commercial <a href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/download-scripts-themes-apps\/\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"9\" title=\"Download Scripts &amp; Themes &amp; Apps\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">app<\/a>lication. For example, Richard&#8217;s work with Brendan Abrahams has shown these materials can <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/pursuit.unimelb.edu.au\/articles\/surgeons-go-green-recycling-general-anaesthetic\" target=\"_blank\">remove excesses of anesthetic greenhouse gases<\/a> from operating room theaters. These greenhouse gases are many tens of thousands of times more potent than carbon dioxide.<\/p>\n<p>MOFs are also being used <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/news.mit.edu\/2025\/window-sized-device-taps-air-safe-drinking-water-0611\" target=\"_blank\">to pull water out of thin air<\/a>, especially important in dry and arid environments where there is water scarcity.<\/p>\n<p>At a time when Australia is <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.industry.gov.au\/science-technology-and-innovation\/strategic-examination-research-and-development\" target=\"_blank\">debating the contribution of research<\/a>, the <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/theconversation.com\/bill-shorten-re-imagines-universities-with-specialist-institutions-and-bespoke-degrees-264778\" target=\"_blank\">value of higher education and universities<\/a>, and <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/theconversation.com\/the-federal-government-wants-to-boost-productivity-science-can-help-256567\" target=\"_blank\">how to increase productivity<\/a>, Richard&#8217;s legacy highlights the profound value of education and research, and the way they are deeply interconnected.<\/p>\n<p>But to truly thrive, they require sustained support over many years, far beyond the short-term horizon of political cycles.<\/p>\n<p>Fundamental science, often driven by curiosity and without an im<a href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/social-mediaa\/\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"1\" title=\"Social Media\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">media<\/a>te application, lays the groundwork for breakthroughs that can help solve the pressing challenges we face today and those yet to come.<\/p>\n<p>Richard Robson now joins just 11 other Australian scientists whose work has been recognized with a Nobel prize. All Australians can be very proud of Richard&#8217;s achievement on the world stage.<\/p>\n<div class=\"d-inline-block text-medium mt-4\">\n<p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tProvided by<br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tThe Conversation<br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"icon_open\" href=\"https:\/\/theconversation.com\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow\"><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<svg>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<use href=\"https:\/\/phys.b-cdn.net\/tmpl\/v6\/img\/svg\/sprite.svg#icon_open\" x=\"0\" y=\"0\"\/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/svg><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p class=\"article-main__note mt-4\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t  This article is republished from <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/theconversation.com\" target=\"_blank\">The Conversation<\/a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/theconversation.com\/an-australian-chemist-just-won-the-nobel-prize-heres-how-his-work-is-changing-the-world-267094\" target=\"_blank\">original article<\/a>.<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/counter.theconversation.com\/content\/267094\/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-advanced\" alt=\"The Conversation\" width=\"1\" height=\"1\"\/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t <\/p>\n<p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<!-- print only --><\/p>\n<div class=\"d-none d-print-block\">\n<p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<strong>Citation<\/strong>:<br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tAn Australian chemist just won the Nobel Prize. Here&#8217;s how his work is changing the world (2025, October 9)<br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tretrieved 9 October 2025<br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tfrom https:\/\/phys.org\/<a href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/news\/\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"2\" title=\"News\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">news<\/a>\/2025-10-australian-chemist-won-nobel-prize.html\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t <\/p>\n<p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t This document is subject to copyright. Apart from any fair dealing for the purpose of private study or research, no<br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t part may be reproduced without the written permission. The content is provided for information purposes only.\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t <\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p><script id=\"facebook-jssdk\" async=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/connect.facebook.net\/en_US\/sdk.js\"><\/script><\/p>\n<blockquote><p><strong><span style=\"color: #ff6600;\">If you liked the article, do not forget to share it with your friends. Follow us on\u00a0<span style=\"color: #ff0000;\"><a style=\"color: #ff0000;\" href=\"https:\/\/news.google.com\/publications\/CAAqBwgKMN63nwsw68G3Aw\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\">Google News<\/a><\/span>\u00a0too, click on the star and choose us from your favorites.<\/span><\/strong><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<blockquote>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong>If you want to read more Like this articles, you can visit our <span style=\"color: #ff9900;\"><a style=\"color: #ff9900;\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/sciencee\/\" target=\"_blank\" >Science category.<\/a><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><span style=\"color: black;\"><a style=\"color: #ff9900;\" href=\"https:\/\/phys.org\/news\/2025-10-australian-chemist-won-nobel-prize.html\" target=\"_blank\" >Source<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Richard Robson was making a molecular model for class when he came up with the idea that became MOFs. Credit: Paul Burston\/University of Melbourne The 2025 Nobel Prize in chemistry has been awarded for the development of metal\u2013organic frameworks: molecular structures that have large spaces within them, capable of capturing and storing gases and other&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":693975,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/scx2.b-cdn.net\/gfx\/news\/2025\/an-australian-chemist.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[16],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-693974","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-sciencee"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/693974","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=693974"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/693974\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/693975"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=693974"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=693974"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=693974"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}