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Introduction

MOFs are porous crystalline materials of metal ions and organic linkers forming highly ordered three-dimensional structures. They possess extremely large internal surface areas and cavities that can be precisely tuned to trap or store molecules. The 2025 Chemistry Nobel honoured their developers for creating a “grammar of matter,” enabling tailored MOFs with transformative applications in energy, environment, and sustainability.

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Key Properties of MOFs

• High Porosity: MOFs have exceptionally large internal surface areas, allowing them to store vast amounts of molecules.
  Eg: MOF‑5, developed by Omar Yaghi in 1999, has a surface area where a few grams equal the size of an entire football field.
• Tunability: Their pore size and chemistry can be engineered to target specific molecules, making them highly adaptable.
  Eg: MOFs can be designed to trap greenhouse gases or harvest drinking water from air, as highlighted in the Nobel‑winning research.
• Structural Stability : Certain MOFs retain their framework even after losing guest molecules, ensuring durability in practical use.
  Eg: Susumu Kitagawa’s MOFs maintained their structure when drained of water, enabling controlled storage and release of gases.
• Flexibility: Some MOFs behave as “breathing” solids, changing shape to accommodate different molecules.
  Eg: In 1998, Kitagawa proposed soft MOFs that expand or contract as molecules move in and out, enhancing selective adsorption.
• Diverse Composition: MOFs are built using various metal ions (such as copper, cobalt, nickel, zinc) and organic linkers (such as bipyridine), enabling thousands of variations for targeted functions.

Working Mechanism of MOFs

• Reticular Chemistry Design: MOFs are created by designing and assembling predetermined building blocks, metal ions and organic linkers into highly ordered, porous crystalline structures.
• Self‑Assembly into Tunable Frameworks: These building blocks spontaneously self‑assemble into rigid yet adaptable networks containing vast internal cavities and channels.
• Functioning as Molecular Containers: The cavities act like molecular “containers” whose size, shape, and chemical environment can be precisely controlled. This allows selective adsorption, storage, and release of molecules such as gases or water vapour.
• Breathing Frameworks: Some MOFs, pioneered by Susumu Kitagawa, function as “breathing” solids, expanding or contracting as molecules enter or exit the pores.
• Atomic‑Level Control for Applications: This precise structural control enables MOFs to act as a “grammar of matter,” allowing tailored solutions for energy storage, environmental sustainability, and industrial applications.

Real-World Applications of MOFs

• Greenhouse Gas Capture: Certain MOFs designed through reticular chemistry are tuned to selectively capture greenhouse gases from industrial emissions, helping mitigate climate change.
• Air‑to‑Water Harvesting: MOFs with tailored cavities can adsorb water vapour and release it for potable use, providing sustainable water solutions.
• Clean Fuel Storage: MOFs can store hydrogen or methane efficiently for use as clean energy fuels.
  Eg: MOF‑5, with its vast surface area, enables high‑density storage of hydrogen, enhancing the feasibility of hydrogen fuel technology.
• Catalysis in Chemical Manufacturing: MOFs with specific active sites can catalyse reactions in pharmaceutical and semiconductor manufacturing.
• Environmental Filtration: MOF‑based catalytic filters can remove contaminants from air and water at the molecular level, offering advanced pollution control.

Conclusion

Metal–Organic Frameworks represent a transformative advancement in materials science. By enabling precise control of molecular interactions, MOFs represent a new “grammar of matter,” opening sustainable solutions to climate and resource challenges, marking a significant leap toward sustainable innovation and a greener future.

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