'Harry Potter' bag invention got this year's Nobel in Chemistry!
What's the story
The 2025 Nobel Prize in Chemistry was awarded to three scientists for their groundbreaking work on metal-organic frameworks (MOFs). The winners are Susumu Kitagawa, Richard Robson, and Omar M Yaghi. Interestingly, these MOFs can be compared to Hermione Granger's magical bag from the Harry Potter series. These frameworks can store large amounts of gas in a small volume, similar to how Hermione's bag could hold unlimited items.
MOFs explained
What are metal-organic frameworks?
MOFs are materials made up of metal ions and organic molecules, which form a porous structure. These structures can be designed to have specific properties and functions, making them highly versatile. The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences noted that the winners' work has opened up new possibilities for chemists to tackle various challenges using these frameworks.
Research progression
Research journey of Robson and Kitagawa
Robson initiated research on MOFs in 1974, aiming to create a new class of structures by linking different molecules with atoms. Kitagawa furthered this research at Kyoto University in Japan in 1992 by developing porous molecules capable of housing various gases. His breakthrough came in 1997 when he created a metal-organic framework using cobalt or zinc metals that could store gases like nitrogen, oxygen, and methane.
Yaghi's role
Yaghi's contribution to MOFs
Simultaneously, Yaghi was working on creating solid materials with different components, akin to LEGOs. He was the first to use the term "metal-organic framework" for his creation. This material had metallic properties but was flexible due to its organic molecules. The Nobel committee highlighted that this innovation is similar to Hermione's bottomless bag in Harry Potter.
MOF applications
MOFs can be used to package fruits and trap CO2
MOFs have various real-life applications, such as packaging fruits to prolong their shelf life by absorbing ethylene gas, which accelerates ripening. They can also be used to trap carbon dioxide, harvest water from dry desert air, filter toxic chemicals from the environment, separate PFAs from water, and deliver precise drug doses to cancer patients.