Page 1: 第1页 Welcome. Today, we will embark on an intellectual journey into a revolutionary field of chemistry. We will explore the work of Susumu Kitagawa, Richard Robson, and Omar M. Yaghi, the 2025 Nobel Laureates in Chemistry. Their pioneering efforts have given us a new class of materials, akin to constructing buildings at the molecular level, opening up unprecedented possibilities for science and technology. Let us begin. Page 2: 第2页 As is often the case in scientific discovery, the story begins not with a complex experiment, but with a simple observation. While preparing teaching aids, Richard Robson recognized a fundamental principle: geometric information encoded in the parts dictates the structure of the whole. This led him to conceptualize a new form of synthesis, moving beyond single molecules to construct vast, ordered frameworks. He envisioned using the natural tendencies of chemical components to self-assemble into a predetermined architecture, much like a crystal forms from its constituent ions. Page 3: 第3页 To test his idea, Robson turned to one of nature's most perfect structures: the diamond. He conceived of a molecular translation, replacing the carbon atoms with metal ions and the carbon-carbon bonds with larger organic linker molecules. As you can see in this diagram, the result was not a compact solid like diamond, but an expanded, porous lattice. Published in 1989, this was the first demonstration of what we now call a metal-organic framework. It was a seminal work, proving that one could construct ordered, spacious crystals by design, though these early structures lacked the robustness for practical use. Page 4: 第4页 Robson's initial creations were fragile. The task of building stable, functional frameworks fell to Susumu Kitagawa and Omar Yaghi. As this timeline illustrates, their work in the 1990s was transformative. In 1997, Kitagawa achieved a critical breakthrough: a stable, three-dimensional framework with open channels that could absorb and release gases without collapsing. He also conceptualized their unique potential for flexibility, distinguishing them from rigid materials like zeolites. This period marked the transition of these materials from a chemical curiosity to a field of immense potential. Page 5: 第5页 Omar Yaghi's contributions were pivotal in establishing the principles of this new chemistry. He not only gave the field its name but also created MOF-5, a benchmark material whose stability and immense internal surface area captured the scientific community's attention. The analogy of a football pitch contained within a spoonful of powder is no exaggeration; it illustrates the sheer capacity of these materials. Most importantly, as shown here, Yaghi developed the concept of isoreticular synthesis—a powerful method to rationally tune the framework's properties by simply changing the length of the molecular struts, akin to an architect changing the dimensions of a room by using longer or shorter beams. Page 6: 第6页 The theoretical elegance of MOFs is matched by their practical utility. Researchers have now designed tens of thousands of distinct frameworks, each tailored for a specific task. As these examples illustrate, MOFs are being developed to address some of humanity's most pressing challenges: water scarcity, pollution, climate change, and clean energy. Yaghi's group has demonstrated water harvesting in the desert. Others are testing materials for capturing industrial carbon dioxide emissions or for safely storing hydrogen fuel. These applications are the direct result of the foundational work we have discussed. Page 7: 第7页 In conclusion, the development of metal-organic frameworks represents a paradigm shift in materials chemistry. Robson's initial insight, Kitagawa's establishment of stability and function, and Yaghi's principles of rational design have collectively provided science with a molecular construction kit of near-infinite possibility. They have not merely discovered new compounds; they have created an entirely new way to build matter. The potential applications are vast, and for this profound contribution, they are rightly recognized. This concludes our examination.