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Nobel Laureate Omar Yaghi’s MOF Technology Seeks to Harvest Water from Dry Air

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Nobel laureate Omar Yaghi’s MOF research is behind water-harvesting technology being developed to collect moisture from dry air.

Berkeley, California | November 3, 2026

A technology developed from research by chemist Omar Yaghi is being advanced as a possible way to collect water from the atmosphere, including in places where humidity is low. Yaghi, a professor at the University of California, Berkeley, shared the 2025 Nobel Prize in Chemistry with Susumu Kitagawa and Richard Robson for their work on metal–organic frameworks (MOFs). 

MOFs are porous materials built from metal ions or clusters connected by organic molecules. Their structures contain tiny cavities that can be designed to capture selected substances. In water-harvesting applications, these pores can attract and hold water molecules from the air—even in dry environments.

How the technology collects water

The material acts somewhat like a microscopic sponge. It captures moisture from surrounding air and holds the water molecules in its pores. When the material is heated, the captured water is released as vapour, which can then be cooled and collected as liquid water.

The heat source depends on the system design. Some atmospheric water harvesters use solar or other thermal energy; Atoco is also developing systems designed to use low-grade waste heat. The process does not create water from nothing: it collects moisture already present in the atmosphere.

Atoco is developing larger systems

Yaghi founded Atoco to develop technologies based on reticular materials, including MOFs. The company is working on atmospheric water-harvesting systems intended for use in areas facing water shortages.

A recent report by WIRED described a prototype that can produce up to 300 litres of water per day. The company is working toward a commercial system designed for up to 1,000 litres daily. That larger capacity is a development target, not evidence that units are already delivering that volume in routine community use. 

Atoco describes two system approaches: an on-grid version and an off-grid design intended to use low-grade waste heat without an external electricity connection. The company’s stated capacities and performance claims are based on its own product information and should be assessed through independent field testing and deployment data.

Potential for water-stressed communities

If the technology can be deployed reliably and affordably, it could provide an additional source of water for remote communities, disaster-affected areas and locations with limited access to conventional supplies. It may be especially useful where transporting water is difficult or where existing infrastructure is vulnerable.

However, atmospheric water harvesting is not a universal replacement for reservoirs, groundwater management, desalination or water-conservation measures. Output depends on factors such as local atmospheric moisture, available heat, equipment performance and operating costs. Water intended for drinking must also meet applicable quality standards.

The Nobel-recognised research has opened a promising area of materials science, while the challenge now is to demonstrate that the technology can deliver safe water consistently, at useful scale and at a cost communities can sustain.

By News National Editorial Team

Sources: Nobel Prize; UC Berkeley; WIRED; Atoco.

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