ACS – John C. Crano Award Lecture

Omar Farha
Professor of Chemistry, Northwestern University
Nano Solutions for Global Challenges: The Promise of Metal-Organic Frameworks 

Evening Program at Missing Falls Brewery

5:30 PM     Networking
6:30 PM     Dinner
7:00 PM     Presentation of Awards and The John. C. Crano Lecture:  Omar Farha

There will also be a technical lecture by Omar Farha at 3:00 PM on Apr 22 at the Unversity of Akron in MGH 111. Both the afternoon and evening lectures are free and open to the public.

Buy dinner tickets online at the links below. The dinner price increases by $5 after Apr 15. The dinner for each awardee plus one guest is free, but please RSVP at the link below. In addition to the Crano Lecturer, the awardees include Oustanding Juniors, The Gene Easter Awardee, and member being recognized for 50, 60 , and 70 years of ACS membership.

The Crano Memorial Lecture series honors John Crano, a chemist at PPG, who had been instrumental in developing the photochromic materials for PPG’s polycarbonate eyeglass lenses. This technology has become the basis for transitions eyeglasses. Crano was a former chair of the American Chemical Society (ACS) Akron Section and an active ACS member.       

Evening Abstract:  Nano Solutions for Global Challenges: The Promise of Metal-Organic Frameworks   Eighty years ago, polymers were largely unknown to the general public. However, in the late 1930s, one polymer—nylon—became a household name almost overnight. Nylon’s debut revolutionized the women’s hosiery market, marking the beginning of a materials revolution that would take decades to unfold. Over time, polymers became indispensable, finding applications in clothing, kitchenware, electronics, building materials, medicine, and beyond. Today, they are recognized as one of the defining materials of the 20th century.

Looking ahead, porous metal-organic frameworks (MOFs)—often referred to as “smart and programmable sponges”—are poised to become a hallmark material of the 21st century. Although this class of multidimensional crystalline materials is still in its early stages, their potential is vast. Fifty years from now, MOFs could be as integral to human life as polymers are today.

MOFs can be envisioned as nano-scale Tinker Toy assemblies, with metal nodes and organic linkers forming highly ordered, periodic structures. This modular design gives MOFs remarkable versatility and tunability, enabling a wide array of applications. Researchers worldwide have already explored their relevance in drug delivery, water harvesting, gas storage, chemical separations, and the destruction of toxic agents such as nerve gases.

Significantly, the commercialization of MOFs has begun, with start-up companies driving the transition from lab-scale research to practical, real-world applications. This talk will delve into the transformative potential of metal-organic frameworks, highlighting their role as enabling materials for environmental applications. From basic scientific discovery to implementation and commercialization, MOFs are paving the way for innovative solutions to some of society’s most pressing challenges.

Bio: Omar K. Farha is the Charles E. and Emma H. Morrison Professor of Chemistry and Department Chair at Northwestern University, an Executive Editor for ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces, and President of Numat Technologies. His current research spans diverse areas of chemistry and materials science ranging from energy to defense-related challenges. His research accomplishments have been recognized by notable  awards and honors.

Afternoon Abstract (Mary Gladwin Hall 111, 3 PM April 22, 2025): Metal-Organic Frameworks (MOFs) can be envisioned as nanoscale Tinker Toy-like architectures, where metal nodes connect with organic linkers to form highly ordered, crystalline networks. This modular design imparts MOFs with extraordinary versatility and tunability, allowing researchers to precisely tailor their structural and chemical properties for a diverse range of applications. Over the past two decades, scientists have explored MOFs for drug delivery, water harvesting, gas storage, separation applications, and even the breakdown of hazardous substances such as nerve agents. Their exceptional porosity, high surface area, and tunable chemistry make them ideal candidates for addressing complex challenges in energy, sustainability, and environmental remediation.  Crucially, MOFs are no longer confined to the laboratory. The past decade has witnessed a significant shift toward commercialization, with innovative start-ups and industry leaders driving the transition from fundamental research to real-world solutions. Companies are now leveraging MOFs for industrial-scale gas separations, efficient hydrogen storage, carbon capture and conversion, and advanced filtration technologies for clean water and air purification. The integration of MOFs into membranes, coatings, and catalytic systems is further expanding their impact, making them key enablers of next-generation materials science and engineering.  This talk will focus on the role of MOFs in separation applications, highlighting their potential to revolutionize gas separations through selective adsorption, molecular sieving, and tunable interactions.