Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE120100076
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$155,000.00
Summary
The first Australian high pressure Synchrotron facility for geoscience research. In high-pressure mineral physics and chemistry, mineral properties, stress-strain relationships and processes like partial melting are applied to geophysical research about the deep Earth. This project will provide a large volume, high pressure capability at the Australian Synchrotron which will allow these mineral properties to be measured under conditions which simulate the deep earth.
Self-zoning in natural uraninite: radiation driven chemical separation. In this project we aim to explore and define the effects of the substitution of lead and rare earths on the crystal chemistry of uranium dioxide (uraninite) and related minerals, towards establishing the oxygen stoichiometry (as a measure of oxygen fugacity) of these materials both in nature and in synthetic materials. This project will use synthetic materials to understand the variability of oxygen stoichiometry, establish ....Self-zoning in natural uraninite: radiation driven chemical separation. In this project we aim to explore and define the effects of the substitution of lead and rare earths on the crystal chemistry of uranium dioxide (uraninite) and related minerals, towards establishing the oxygen stoichiometry (as a measure of oxygen fugacity) of these materials both in nature and in synthetic materials. This project will use synthetic materials to understand the variability of oxygen stoichiometry, establish accurate and precise structures for the oxides, and distinguish both long range and short-range order which is critical to understanding both natural and synthetic U-oxides. This will help to define the geochemical conditions leading to the formation of deposits like Olympic Dam towards potential economic benefit.Read moreRead less
Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE100100236
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$180,000.00
Summary
Facilities for spectroscopy and diffraction at high pressures. The provision of infrastructure for the study of novel materials under high pressures will enhance Australia's capability in creating new materials and in creating new devices that meet needs in communication, environment and medicine applications. The new facility will enable researchers to understand the response of structures to extreme pressures and will exploit the unique capabilities of the synchrotron light.
Voltage-dependent structural changes in voltage-gated sodium channels. This project aims to provide insights into the structural rearrangements experienced by Nav channels, which are key components of animal nervous systems. Voltage-gated sodium (Nav) channels initiate action potentials in excitable cells. They open in response to membrane depolarisation then rapidly inactivate. Eukaryotic Nav channels contain four unique voltage-sensor domains (VSDs) that control how the channel responds to mem ....Voltage-dependent structural changes in voltage-gated sodium channels. This project aims to provide insights into the structural rearrangements experienced by Nav channels, which are key components of animal nervous systems. Voltage-gated sodium (Nav) channels initiate action potentials in excitable cells. They open in response to membrane depolarisation then rapidly inactivate. Eukaryotic Nav channels contain four unique voltage-sensor domains (VSDs) that control how the channel responds to membrane potential changes. Recently reported crystal structures of bacterial Nav channels have greatly advanced the field, but these channels contain four identical VSDs and have different inactivation properties. Thus, much remains to be learnt about the conformational plasticity of eukaryotic Nav channel VSDs. The project plans to use animal toxins to capture eukaryotic VSDs in defined states of the gating cycle for detailed structural analysis using nuclear magnetic resonance and X-ray crystallography.Read moreRead less
Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE140100122
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$375,000.00
Summary
Microdiffraction: Advanced capabilities for spatial resolution, trace phase detection and solid object analysis. Microdiffraction: advanced capabilities for spatial resolution, trace phase detection and solid object analysis: Microdiffraction offers two principal capacities that traditional powder diffraction (PD) facilities cannot: it enables small areas to be examined on a spatially resolved basis enabling identification, and it enables analysis of minor, but frequently crucial phases and anal ....Microdiffraction: Advanced capabilities for spatial resolution, trace phase detection and solid object analysis. Microdiffraction: advanced capabilities for spatial resolution, trace phase detection and solid object analysis: Microdiffraction offers two principal capacities that traditional powder diffraction (PD) facilities cannot: it enables small areas to be examined on a spatially resolved basis enabling identification, and it enables analysis of minor, but frequently crucial phases and analysis of samples that are not in a powder form thus enabling non-destructive examination. These capabilities provide powerful complementary capacity to existing SEM, QEM-SCAN, ToF-SIMS and PD facilities. Potential and existing applications are numerous and include minerals analyses; forensic applications; micro-electronics; corrosion analyses; art analysis/conservation; archaeology; materials; polymers; thin films; dielectric properties; liquid crystals; and drug characterisation.Read moreRead less
Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE120100012
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$230,000.00
Summary
Enhanced powder X-ray diffraction capabilities for South Australia. This X-ray diffraction facility will provide structural information on the properties of novel materials which is important for investigations ranging from post-combustion carbon dioxide capture through to the identification of new mineralogical samples. Rapid, local access to this integrated facility will position South Australian researchers to make breakthroughs that benefit Australia.