This box contains four sealed test tubes with different kinds of metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) developed by Susumu Kitagawa.
The first has the same structure as a honeycomb. It marks the transition from dense network structures to intentionally porous structures.
The second is the first structure that absorbs gas molecules.
The third is the first structure where gas molecules are stored in an orderly way.
The fourth is the first structure where the parts are flexible and can be shifted in relation to each other.
The box is made of paulownia wood from the Aizu region in Japan. This is a dense wood which is silvery-white and insect-resistant. Therefore, it is often used in traditional joinery.
Susumu Kitagawa donated the samples to the Nobel Prize Museum in 2025.
