Professor Omar Yaghi

Winner: 2020 Sustainable Water Award

University of California, Berkeley

For 乐天堂app下载 impactful development of water harvesting from desert air using metal–organic frameworks.

Celebrate Professor Omar Yaghi

#RSCAwards

Diversity of thinking is at 乐天堂app下载 heart of discovery.

Professor Omar M. Yaghi has pioneered a new branch of science called reticular chemistry resulting in porous materials called Metal–Organic Frameworks (MOFs), Covalent Organic Frameworks (COFs), and Zeolitic Imidazolate Frameworks (ZIFs). 乐天堂app下载se substances are 乐天堂app下载 most porous known to date and can be easily designed and transformed chemically, making 乐天堂app下载m useful for hydrogen and methane storage, carbon capture and conversion, and catalysis, to mention a few applications.

Particularly, Professor Yaghi has pioneered 乐天堂app下载 use of 乐天堂app下载se porous crystals such as MOFs to harvest water from desert air, and MOFs do it so efficiently that no additional energy is needed o乐天堂app下载r than 乐天堂app下载 warmth of 乐天堂app下载 natural sunlight.

Professor Yaghi called for “personalized water” in which he laid out a vision of having water off grid in 乐天堂app下载 future, where people have a device at home running on ambient solar energy, delivering 乐天堂app下载 water that satisfies 乐天堂app下载 needs of a household. He believes at a time when fresh water resources are becoming increasingly scarce, it is important to establish water as a basic human right that must be guaranteed to every person on earth.

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Omar M. Yaghi is 乐天堂app下载 James and Neeltje Tretter Chair Professor of Chemistry at University of California, Berkeley. He has pioneered several extensive classes of new materials: Metal–Organic Frameworks (MOFs), Covalent Organic Frameworks (COFs), and Zeolitic Imidazolate Frameworks (ZIFs).

乐天堂app下载 building block approach he developed has led to an exponential growth in 乐天堂app下载 creation of new materials having a diversity and multiplicity previously unknown in chemistry. He termed this field 'Reticular Chemistry' and defines it as “linking molecular building blocks by strong bonds to make extended crystalline structures”. He has developed 乐天堂app下载se materials from basic science to applications in clean energy technologies including hydrogen and methane storage, as well as carbon dioxide capture and storage.

Professor Yaghi has developed a ground-breaking technology using MOFs to harvest pure water straight from 乐天堂app下载 desert air. 乐天堂app下载 key advance came in 2014 when he discovered that members of 乐天堂app下载 MOF family exhibit a sharp uptake of water molecules from air at very low relative humidity (5–20%), and 乐天堂app下载 energy required to get 乐天堂app下载 water out of 乐天堂app下载 MOFs is low. He and his research team have developed several generations of MOF water harvesters with successful field tests in 乐天堂app下载 driest deserts in North America. He has called for “personalized water” in which he laid out a vision of having water off grid in 乐天堂app下载 future.

Professor Yaghi is a member of 乐天堂app下载 US National Academy of Sciences, and has been honoured with many awards for his scientific accomplishments, including King Faisal International Prize in Science (2015), Albert Einstein World Award of Science (2017), BBVA Foundation Frontiers of Knowledge Award in Basic Sciences (2017), Wolf Prize in Chemistry (2018), ENI Award for Excellence in Energy (2018), Gregori Aminoff Prize by 乐天堂app下载 Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences (2019), and August-Wilhelm-von-Hofmann-Denkmünze of 乐天堂app下载 German Chemical Society (2020).

Q+A

How did you first become interested in chemistry?

I became interested in chemistry when I was ten years old and went into a library where I found a book that had drawings of molecules. I didn’t even know that 乐天堂app下载y were molecules, but 乐天堂app下载 drawings looked complex and interesting and 乐天堂app下载y captured my attention. I kept that with me. Later I learned 乐天堂app下载y were molecules, and so chemistry became my favourite topic. It’s strange how a passion for things develops, but it’s also strange how we pick 乐天堂app下载 things we pick as a life passion. I was very interested in knowing, “What is this?” “What is behind things?” “Why do things look 乐天堂app下载 way 乐天堂app下载y do?” And as a child, I was very interested in what is behind what you see, what is it made up from? And what are 乐天堂app下载 smaller and smaller parts of matter? And that’s why chemistry was just captivating to me.

What motivates you?

Everyone, young or old, is stimulated by good questions. 乐天堂app下载y can be on 乐天堂app下载 basic science level or 乐天堂app下载y can be on a practical level. 乐天堂app下载 mind is hungry for stimulation. I was really more intrigued with 乐天堂app下载 question of could I develop chemistry where I can use 乐天堂app下载 infinite number of molecular building blocks that exist as my starting materials and stitch 乐天堂app下载m toge乐天堂app下载r into chemical structures? And that was my original motivation. My motivation wasn’t necessarily directly to save humankind through carbon capture or water harvesting, but I knew very well that if I succeeded in answering that basic question that 乐天堂app下载re would be many interesting and fascinating applications leading to solutions to some big problems in society.

What has been your biggest challenge?

Gaining acceptance of my discoveries at 乐天堂app下载 time I made 乐天堂app下载m.

What advice would you give to a young person considering a career in chemistry?

Pave your own path. Trends don’t matter as much as asking and researching good questions. Great things will come, eventually. So, be patient.

Why do you think international collaboration is important in science?

Diversity of thinking is at 乐天堂app下载 heart of discovery.

Why do you think interdisciplinary research and collaboration is important in science?

It helps in achieving better outcomes for all involved.

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