The Tang Prize Foundation announced Tuesday that American chemist and Professor of Chemistry at the University of California Berkeley Omar M. Yaghi is the recipient of the 2024 Tang Prize in Sustainable Development. Dr. Yaghi was recognized for his innovative work on the development of metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) and covalent organic frameworks (COFs), which have applications in a variety of eco-friendly contexts.
MOFs and COFs are versatile materials capable of storing and utilizing molecules such as carbon dioxide, hydrogen, methane, and water. This makes them ideal for use in carbon capture, hydrogen and methane storage, water harvesting, and other sustainable technologies. Through his research, Dr. Yaghi has demonstrated how it is possible to harvest potable water from the air in deserts and other water-scarce environments using only sunlight, among other breakthroughs.
Academia Sinica Distinguished Visiting Chair Dr. Yu Wang (王瑜) elaborated that MOF and COF materials can safely and stably store 12 weight percent of hydrogen under certain conditions. She said fuel tanks made with MOF materials have greater methane storage capacity than ordinary tanks, enabling vehicles to travel three times further before refueling.
The Tang Prize was created by Taiwanese billionaire and chairman of the Ruentex Group Dr. Samuel Yen-Liang Yin (尹衍樑) in 2013 and includes four award categories, with cash prizes for each category. Recipients are selected biennially by a committee that includes experts from Academia Sinica.
06/21 Editor's Notes: A previous version of this story stated the Tang Prize was created in 2013; it was in fact created in 2012.