Curtin University

About: Curtin University is a education organization based out in Perth, Western Australia, Australia. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Population & Zircon. The organization has 14257 authors who have published 48997 publications receiving 1336531 citations. The organization is also known as: WAIT & Western Australian Institute of Technology.

Persulfate Activation on Crystallographic Manganese Oxides: Mechanism of Singlet Oxygen Evolution for Nonradical Selective Degradation of Aqueous Contaminants.

Abstract: Minerals and transitional metal oxides of earth-abundant elements are desirable catalysts for in situ chemical oxidation in environmental remediation. However, catalytic activation of peroxydisulfate (PDS) by manganese oxides was barely investigated. In this study, one-dimension manganese dioxides (α- and β-MnO2) were discovered as effective PDS activators among the diverse manganese oxides for selective degradation of organic contaminants. Compared with other chemical states and crystallographic structures of manganese oxide, β-MnO2 nanorods exhibited the highest phenol degradation rate (0.044 min-1, 180 min) by activating PDS. A comprehensive study was conducted utilizing electron paramagnetic resonance, chemical probes, radical scavengers, and different solvents to identity the reactive oxygen species (ROS). Singlet oxygen (1O2) was unveiled to be the primary ROS, which was generated by direct oxidation or recombination of superoxide ions and radicals from a metastable manganese intermediate at neutral pH. The study dedicates to the first mechanistic study into PDS activation over manganese oxides and provides a novel catalytic system for selective removal of organic contaminants in wastewater.

Strong Boards, CEO Power and Bank Risk-Taking

Abstract: This study examines the relevance of bank board structure on bank risk-taking. Using a sample of 212 large US bank holding companies over 1997-2004 (1,534 observations), this study finds that strong bank boards (boards reflecting more of bank shareholders interest) particularly small and less restrictive boards positively affect bank risk-taking. In contrast, CEO power (CEO's ability to control board decision) negatively affects bank risk-taking. These results are consistent with the bank contracting environment and robust to several proxies for bank risk-takings and different estimation techniques.

Nonstoichiometric Oxides as Low-Cost and Highly-Efficient Oxygen Reduction/Evolution Catalysts for Low-Temperature Electrochemical Devices

Abstract: Reduction/Evolution Catalysts for Low-Temperature Electrochemical Devices Dengjie Chen,†,⊥,∇ Chi Chen,†,⊥ Zarah Medina Baiyee,† Zongping Shao,‡,§ and Francesco Ciucci*,†,∥ †Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay, Kowloon, Hong Kong, China ‡State Key Laboratory of Materials-Oriented Chemical Engineering, College of Chemistry & Chemical Engineering, Nanjing Tech University, No. 5 Xin Mofan Road, Nanjing 210009, China Department of Chemical Engineering, Curtin University, Perth, Western Australia 6845, Australia Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay, Kowloon, Hong Kong, China

Grenvillian continental collision in South China: new SHRIMP U-Pb zircon results and implications for the configuration of Rodinia

Abstract: The timing of continental collision between the Yangtze and Cathaysia blocks of south China is an issue that bears on the accretion of Asia, as well as on the assembly and configuration of the Neoproterozoic supercontinent Rodinia. We report in this paper SHRIMP (sensitive high-resolution ion microprobe) evidence that suggests a Grenvillian continental collision in south China, including (1) evidence for 1.3–1.0 Ga metamorphism on both sides of the Sibao orogen between the Yangtze and Cathaysia blocks and (2) sedimentary provenance of possible foreland-basin deposits on the Yangtze side of the orogen that were derived from the Cathaysia block and the Sibao orogen during the continental collision. The occurrence of ca. 1430 Ma granodiorites in southern Cathaysia, along with ca. 1800 Ma basement and Archean protoliths in northern Cathaysia, makes Cathaysia a possible western extension of the Mojave province in southwestern Laurentia. Together with regional data, we suggest that the Sibao orogen could be one of the Grenvillian sutures at the center of Rodinia assembly that brought Australia, Yangtze, and Cathaysia-Laurentia together by ca. 1000 Ma.

Oxygen-isotope Evidence From Ancient Zircons for Liquid Water at the Earth's Surface 4,300 Myr Ago

Abstract: Granitoid gneisses and supracrustal rocks that are 3,800–4,000 Myr old are the oldest recognized exposures of continental crust1. To obtain insight into conditions at the Earth's surface more than 4 Gyr ago requires the analysis of yet older rocks or their mineral remnants. Such an opportunity is presented by detrital zircons more than 4 Gyr old found within 3-Gyr-old quartzitic rocks in the Murchison District of Western Australia2,3. Here we report in situ U–Pb and oxygen isotope results for such zircons that place constraints on the age and composition of their sources and may therefore provide information about the nature of the Earth's early surface. We find that 3,910–4,280 Myr old zircons have oxygen isotope (δ18O) values ranging from 5.4 ± 0.6‰ to 15.0 ± 0.4‰. On the basis of these results, we postulate that the ∼4,300-Myr-old zircons formed from magmas containing a significant component of re-worked continental crust that formed in the presence of water near the Earth's surface. These data are therefore consistent with the presence of a hydrosphere interacting with the crust by 4,300 Myr ago.