The 2025 Nobel Prize in Chemistry has been awarded to Richard Robson, Susumu Kitagawa, and Omar Yaghi for inventing metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) — modular materials that can be assembled like Lego bricks.

The Institut de Recherche de Chimie Paris (Chimie ParisTech–PSL/CNRS) has been collaborating for several years with Susumu Kitagawa and his team at Kyoto University, notably through the research of François-Xavier Coudert, as part of the international SMOLAB project, which explores MOF applications through molecular modeling.

When chemistry becomes a construction game. MOFs are made up of metal nodes and organic ligands assembled into three-dimensional porous structures. This modularity allows scientists to control the size of the cavities and the chemical functions within them, paving the way for tailor-made chemistry. François-Xavier Coudert compares these materials to molecular Lego:

“Each building block can be selected and positioned to obtain precisely the desired structure and properties. This flexibility is what makes MOFs unique and fascinating for both fundamental and applied research.”

Promising applications for society. MOFs offer significant potential in various fields: CO₂ capture, water harvesting from dry air, pollution control, industrial gas storage, and controlled drug release. Although production costs currently limit large-scale use, these materials remain a highly dynamic research field, combining chemical engineering, molecular materials design, and large-scale computational simulations.

Chimie ParisTech–PSL and the SMOLAB project. François-Xavier Coudert, CNRS research director at the Institut de Recherche de Chimie Paris, works directly with Susumu Kitagawa within the SMOLAB laboratory, which brings together Chimie ParisTech–PSL and Kyoto University. Together, they are developing MOFs with innovative industrial and environmental applications.

Three Questions for François-Xavier Coudert

François-Xavier, why are MOFs often described as “molecular Lego”?

“Because they combine modularity and precision. Each component—metal or ligand—can be selected to create a specific structure, just as Lego pieces are assembled to build an exact model.”

Which MOF applications seem most promising to you today?

“CO₂ capture and atmospheric water harvesting are crucial for energy transition and water security. But controlled drug release and industrial gas storage are also areas where these materials can make a real difference.”

What is the value of collaborating with Professor Kitagawa and the SMOLAB laboratory?

“Working with Professor Kitagawa and SMOLAB brings together experimental expertise and advanced modeling. It gives us the ability to design custom-made MOFs, predict their behavior, and explore applications we couldn’t otherwise envision.”

Illustration: Structure of the Metal–Organic Framework MOF-508, composed of carbon (black), nitrogen (blue), oxygen (red), and zinc (green). The flexibility and catenated nature of this framework are key parameters for the storage of acetylene. © François-Xavier Coudert/CNRS

Read the full interview with François-Xavier Coudert on France Culture.