Molecular discovery that won Nobel Prize in chemistry is likened to Harry Potter' enchanted handbag

"A member of the Nobel committee likened the discovery to Hermione Granger's seemingly bottomless enchanted handbag in the Harry Potter series, in that the frameworks may look small from the outside, but are able to hold surprisingly vast quantities within them. The Nobel Committee said Susumu Kitagawa, Richard Robson and Omar M. Yaghi were being awarded for groundbreaking discoveries, saying some of these may contribute to solving some of humankind's greatest challenges."

"The chemists worked separately but added to each other's breakthroughs, which began in 1989 with Robson. From capturing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere or sucking water out of dry desert air, the trio's new form of molecular architecture can absorb and contain gases inside stable metal organic frameworks."

"The frameworks can be compared to the timber framework of a house, and Hermione's famous beaded handbag, in that they are small on the outside but very large on the inside, according to Olof Ramstrom, a member of the Nobel Committee for Chemistry. Metal-organic frameworks have enormous potential, bringing previously unforeseen opportunities for custom-made materials with new functions, Heiner Linke, chair of the Nobel Committee for Chemistry, said in a news release. The committee cited the potential for using the frameworks to separating so-called forever chemicals from water."

Susumu Kitagawa, Richard Robson and Omar M. Yaghi received the Nobel Prize in Chemistry for developing metal-organic frameworks capable of absorbing and storing gases and liquids. Robson's early breakthrough began in 1989 and the three researchers built on each other's work. The frameworks are porous, small externally but with enormous internal volume and surface area, allowing capture of carbon dioxide, extraction of water from arid air, and containment of other molecules. The structures enable design of custom materials with novel functions, including separation of persistent 'forever chemicals' from water and other pollution-control and climate-mitigation applications.

Read at www.mercurynews.com