Brazilian Scientists Used Nobel

Before the Nobel Prize in Chemistry recognized metalorganic frameworks (MOFs), two researchers from Unesp had already used the technology to convert carbon dioxide (CO2) into ethanol. The work of Maria Valnice Boldrin Zanoni and Regina Frem, from the universitys Institute of Chemistry, was carried out in 2018 and demonstrated the potential of MOFs in combating the climate crisis. These structures, formed by metal ions connected to organic molecules, have microscopic cavities capable of storing other substances. In the experiment, the scientists used a subclass called ZIF-8, deposited on a semiconductor, to capture CO2 and reduce it using light, obtaining ethanol as the final product. The result proved the effectiveness of the technology, but the project never expanded beyond the lab. "In industry, you cant work with powder," explains Frem, citing recent advances that allow MOFs to be shaped into tablets, gels, and composites. The researchers are now studying a different structure, MIL-101, iron-based, which may help degrade nanoplastics, in partnership with Ipen (Institute for Energy and Nuclear Research). Other Brazilian groups are exploring diverse MOF applications. Severino Alves Junior, from UFPE, investigates their use in ammunition marking and controlled drug delivery. His lab has also developed a MOF thermal blanket capable of adjusting babies body temperature when exposed to light.