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.

Opening Iapetus: Constraints from the Laurentian margin in Newfoundland

Abstract: Late Neoproterozoic to Early Cambrian geologic, geochronologic, and paleomagnetic data from along the Iapetus margin of Laurentia may be reconciled within a multistage rift history that involved an initial separation of Laurentia from the west Gondwana cratons ca. 570 Ma, followed by rifting of a further block or blocks from Laurentia ca. 540– 535 Ma into an already open Iapetus Ocean to establish the main passive-margin sequence in the Appalachians. Paleomagnetic data suggest that Laurentia rifted from Amazonia−Rio de la Plata cratons and began its northward movement ca. 570 Ma to produce a wide Iapetus Ocean by 550 Ma. Geologic data from the Newfoundland segment of the Laurentian margin provide evidence for a rift-drift transition ca. 540–535 Ma, as constrained by the youngest rift-related magmatism at 550.5 +3/–2 Ma (U/Pb zircon) for the Skinner Cove Formation and 555 +3/–5 Ma for the Lady Slipper pluton, and a late Early Cambrian age of ca. 525–520 Ma for the oldest drift-related sedimentation. Rifting between the Laurentia and the west Gondwana cratons was probably distributed among multiple rift systems that fostered the production of a number of terranes (such as the Argentine Precordillera, Oaxacan) as well as the Iapetus Ocean. Development of Laurentian-derived Iapetan terranes during the final breakout of Laurentia from Rodinia may have been facilitated by preexisting 760–700 Ma rift weaknesses and apparently rapidly changing plate vectors during latest Neoproterozoic time.

SrNb0.1Co0.7Fe0.2O3-δ perovskite as a next-generation electrocatalyst for oxygen evolution in alkaline solution

Abstract: The perovskite SrNb0.1 Co0.7 Fe0.2 O3-δ (SNCF) is a promising OER electrocatalyst for the oxygen evolution reaction (OER), with remarkable activity and stability in alkaline solutions. This catalyst exhibits a higher intrinsic OER activity, a smaller Tafel slope and better stability than the state-of-the-art precious-metal IrO2 catalyst and the well-known BSCF perovskite. The mass activity and stability are further improved by ball milling. Several factors including the optimized eg orbital filling, good ionic and charge transfer abilities, as well as high OH(-) adsorption and O2 desorption capabilities possibly contribute to the excellent OER activity.

Microscopic Evidence for Liquid-Liquid Separation in Supersaturated CaCO3 Solutions

Abstract: Recent experimental observations of the onset of calcium carbonate (CaCO3) mineralization suggest the emergence of a population of clusters that are stable rather than unstable as predicted by classical nucleation theory. This study uses molecular dynamics simulations to probe the structure, dynamics, and energetics of hydrated CaCO3 clusters and lattice gas simulations to explore the behavior of cluster populations before nucleation. Our results predict formation of a dense liquid phase through liquid-liquid separation within the concentration range in which clusters are observed. Coalescence and solidification of nanoscale droplets results in formation of a solid phase, the structure of which is consistent with amorphous CaCO3. The presence of a liquid-liquid binodal enables a diverse set of experimental observations to be reconciled within the context of established phase-separation mechanisms.