At around 17:45 Beijing time on October 8, 2025, the Nobel Prize in Chemistry was awarded to three scientists, Susumu Kitagawa, Richard Robson, and Omar M. Yaghi, in recognition of their contributions in the development of metal organic frameworks. The structure they created - metal organic frameworks (MOFs) - contains huge pores in which molecules can enter and exit. Researchers have utilized them to collect moisture from desert air, extract pollutants from water, capture carbon dioxide, and store hydrogen gas.

MOF: A charming and extremely spacious' studio apartment '

The Nobel Prize was announced, and metal organic frameworks (MOFs) stood in the spotlight. Nobel used a metaphor to describe it: a charming and extremely spacious' studio apartment '. Metal organic framework materials have extraordinary practicality, with structures specifically designed for capturing carbon dioxide, separating perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) from water, delivering drugs in the human body, or treating highly toxic gases. Some materials can adsorb the ethylene gas released by fruits, thereby delaying their ripening process; There are also enzymes that can encapsulate antibiotic residues in decomposable environments. At present, chemists have been able to design tens of thousands of different MOF materials, thus promoting the birth of numerous new chemical wonders.

Metal organic frameworks have enormous potential, bringing opportunities for customized materials with new functionalities, "said Heiner Link, Chair of the Nobel Committee on Chemistry.

Omar M. Yaghi and his MOF exploration journey

Omar M. Yaghi was born in 1965 in Amman, Jordan. He obtained his doctoral degree from the University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign in 1990. He has served as an assistant professor at Arizona State University, a professor at the University of Michigan, and a professor at the University of California, Los Angeles. In 2012, he transferred to the University of California, Berkeley and is currently the James and Neeltje Tretter Professor of Chemistry. He is the founding director of the Berkeley Global Science Institute. Yaji pioneered the field of network chemistry, which involves sewing molecular building blocks together through strong bonds to form open frameworks. His job is the design, synthesis, application, and popularization of MOFs.

In 1999, Yagi showcased MOF-5 to the world, setting the next milestone in the development of metal organic frameworks. This material hides a huge surface area within its cubic space. The surface area of a few grams of MOF-5 is equivalent to a football field, which means it can absorb more gas than zeolite.

Omar Yagi laid the final bricks for the metal organic framework substrate in 2002 and 2003. He demonstrated the possibility of modifying and altering MOFs in a reasonable way, endowing them with different properties. One of his works was to create 16 variants of MOF-5 with pores larger or smaller than the original material. Afterwards, metal organic frameworks swept the world.

Micromeritics figure in Professor Yaji's work

In the forefront research of porous materials and framework chemistry, accurately characterizing the specific surface area, pore size distribution, and gas adsorption performance of materials is the key to promoting breakthroughs in material design and application. We are fortunate to have seen the presence of different models of Micromeritics specific surface and aperture analyzers in the pioneering work of Professor Yaji and his team. The use of Mike products to evaluate the performance of synthesized covalent organic frameworks and metal organic framework materials provides solid data support for structural verification and functional development of the materials.

In a study published in Nature Chemistry, Professor Yaji's team conducted ammonia adsorption tests on materials such as COF-10 and COF-102 using Micromeritics ASAP 2020, revealing their ammonia capture ability and cycling stability. The instrument completes N ₂ adsorption analysis at 77K, accurately calculates the specific surface area of the material pores, and combines the NLDFT model to analyze the pore size distribution, providing a key basis for understanding the adsorption behavior of COF materials in different gas environments.

*DOI: 10.1038/nchem.548 Excerpts from Part of the Paper Content

In another study published in Science on highly coordinated covalent organic frameworks, the Yagi team used Micromeritics 3Flex and ASAP 2420 to measure the adsorption isotherms of BP-COF series materials for N ₂, Ar, H ₂, and CO ₂ at 77K and 87K, and accurately analyzed their pore structure and specific surface area using DFT theoretical models. These data not only validate the structural model of the theoretical simulation, but also lay the foundation for further exploration of its energy and environmental applications in hydrogen storage, carbon dioxide capture, and other fields.

*DOI: 10.1126/science. abd6406 Excerpts from Part of Paper Content

In addition, in the study of MOF-303 based atmospheric water collectors reported in Nature Water, the Yaji research team also used Micromeritics ASAP 2420 to perform N ₂ adsorption analysis on MOF-303 and its composite particles, confirming their high specific surface area and porous structure, providing key structural parameters for understanding their efficient water absorption and release mechanisms.

*Doi. org/10.1038/s44221-023-00103-7 Selected content from the paper

Micromeritics' entire product line has become a reliable tool for Professor Yagi and his team in developing new porous materials due to its high precision, versatility, and reliability. From gas adsorption to water vapor capture, from structural characterization to performance optimization, these instruments provide solid experimental support for major breakthroughs in fields such as energy, environment, and water resources. They are the "data engines" that drive framework chemistry from the laboratory to practical applications.