Metal-Organic Frameworks (MOFs) and the 'Grammar of Matter'
UPSC Relevance
Prelims: General Science (Chemistry); Science and Technology (Nanotechnology, New Materials, Applications of S&T like Carbon Capture, Water Harvesting); Current Events (Nobel Prizes).
Mains:
General Studies Paper 3 (S&T, Environment): Science and Technology- developments and their applications and effects in everyday life; Awareness in the fields of Nanotechnology; Conservation, environmental pollution and degradation. The applications of MOFs are directly relevant to major challenges discussed in this paper.
Key Highlights from the News
The 2025 Nobel Prize in Chemistry was awarded to three scientists: Richard Robson, Susumu Kitagawa, and Omar Yaghi.
The award is for the discovery and development of a new class of materials known as Metal-Organic Frameworks (MOFs).
What are MOFs?: These are crystalline structures with ultra-fine pores, made by combining metal ions and organic linker molecules.
Main Feature: They have enormous internal surface areas (a few grams of MOF can have the surface area of a football field).
Main Uses:
To capture carbon dioxide from the atmosphere (carbon capture).
To extract water from desert air (water harvesting).
To safely store clean fuels like hydrogen (store hydrogen).
To remove toxic PFAS ("forever chemicals") from water.
This discovery proved that materials can be precisely "designed" (rational design) for specific purposes at the molecular level, rather than being discovered by chance. Through this, these scientists established "a new grammar of matter".
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