Solid Materials Research Articles

Cell-Free Protein Expression in Polymer Materials.

While synthetic biology has advanced complex capabilities such as sensing and molecular synthesis in aqueous solutions, important applications may also be pursued for biological systems in solid materials. Harsh processing conditions used to produce many synthetic materials such as plastics make the incorporation of biological functionality challenging. One technology that shows promise in circumventing these issues is cell-free protein synthesis (CFPS), where core cellular functionality is reconstituted outside the cell. CFPS enables genetic functions to be implemented without the complications of membrane transport or concerns over the cellular viability or release of genetically modified organisms. Here, we demonstrate that dried CFPS reactions have remarkable tolerance to heat and organic solvent exposure during the casting processes for polymer materials. We demonstrate the utility of this observation by creating plastics that have spatially patterned genetic functionality, produce antimicrobials in situ, and perform sensing reactions. The resulting materials unlock the potential to deliver DNA-programmable biofunctionality in a ubiquitous class of synthetic materials.

Enhancing soil properties, soil-borne diseases control, and quality through selecting high C/N agricultural waste during reductive soil disinfestation for continuous tobacco cropping

The addition of organic matter is crucial for achieving successful reductive soil disinfestation (RSD) for flue-cured tobacco cultivation. However, the effects of diverse organic materials and their application rates on soil-borne disease control and yield enhancement remain poorly understood. To address this, field experiments were conducted at two sites. Two organic materials, G and D, were employed with varying application rates (CK, G/D0.8, G/D1.0, and G/D1.2). The results demonstrated that adding these organic materials enhanced soil physicochemical properties, including pH, alkaline nitrogen, available phosphorus, available potassium, organic matter, and the C/N ratio. Furthermore, the relative abundance of Phytophthora nicotianae and Fusarium spp., with associated soil-borne diseases, was significantly reduced. Particularly, the G1.2 treatment exhibited a remarkable reduction in the relative abundance of the two pathogenic bacteria by over 20% at both experimental sites. Moreover, this treatment contributed to a reduction in disease incidence by over 21% and severity by over 72%. Increasing the application rates of these organic materials also enhanced nutrient content, agronomic traits, and biomass accumulation of flue-cured tobacco plants, improving the chemical composition of tobacco leaves and economic outcomes in cured-tobacco leaves. Notably, the G1.2 treatment at both experimental sites significantly enhanced the economic indices of tobacco leaves, respectively increasing the yield and output value by 10.6 kg ha−1 and 159.9 US$·ha−1. Overall, applying 15 t ha−1 (G1.2 treatment) of solid organic material during RSD was the optimal choice for sterilization, elimination of harmful substances, and enhancement of the economic characteristics of flue-cured tobacco.

Periodic implicit representation, design and optimization of porous structures using periodic B-splines

Porous structures are intricate solid materials with numerous small pores, extensively used in fields like medicine, chemical engineering, and aerospace. However, the design of such structures using computer-aided tools is a time-consuming and tedious process. In this study, we propose a novel representation method and design approach for porous units that can be infinitely spliced to form a porous structure. We use periodic B-spline functions to represent periodic or symmetric porous units. Starting from a voxel representation of a porous sample, the discrete distance field is computed. To fit the discrete distance field with a periodic B-spline, we introduce the constrained least squares progressive-iterative approximation algorithm, which results in an implicit porous unit. This unit can be subject to optimization to enhance connectivity and utilized for topology optimization, thereby improving the model’s stiffness while maintaining periodicity or symmetry. The experimental results demonstrate the potential of the designed complex porous units in enhancing the mechanical performance of the model. Consequently, this study has the potential to incorporate remarkable structures derived from artificial design or nature into the design of high-performing models, showing the promise for biomimetic applications.

Numerical simulation of transpiration cooling in porous nose cone under hypersonic conditions

Transpiration cooling in a two-dimensional porous nose cone under hypersonic flow have been numerically investigated. The numerical model intricately captures the interaction between compressible and incompressible flows in the boundary layer and the phase change of coolant within porous region. The validation of numerical method is performed by comparing the simulation results with experimental data. The simulation results are in reasonable agreement with the experimental data. The results show that the increase of blowing ratio can effectively improve the cooling efficiency of transpiration cooling，where the blowing ratio represents the mass flow rate ratio between the coolant of porous region and the mainstream free flow. Such as, the average cooling efficiency rises from 0.33 to 0.86 when the blowing ratio increases from 0.0459% to 0.2753%. Although the porous resistance force increases as the particle diameter and porosity decrease, the effect of these parameters and solid material of porous region on the cooling efficiency are marginal.

ResUNet involved generative adversarial network-based topology optimization for design of 2D microstructure with extreme material properties

Topology optimization is one of the most common methods for design of material distribution in mechanical metamaterials, but resulting in expensive computational cost due to iterative simulation of finite element method. In this work, a novel deep learning-based topology optimization method is proposed to design mechanical microstructure efficiently for metamaterials with extreme material properties, such as maximum bulk modulus, maximum shear modulus, or negative Poisson’s ratio. Large numbers of microstructures with various configurations are first simulated by modified solid isotropic material with penalization (SIMP), to construct the microstructure data set. Subsequently, the ResUNet involved generative and adversarial network (ResUNet-GAN) is developed for high-dimensional mapping between optimization parameters and corresponding microstructures to improve the design accuracy of ResUNet. By given optimization parameters, the well-trained ResUNet-GAN is successfully applied to the microstructure design of metamaterials with different optimization objectives under proper configurations. According to the simulation results, the proposed ResUNet-GAN-based topology optimization not only significantly reduces the computational duration for the optimization process, but also improves the structure precise and mechanical performance.

Conformal High-Aspect-Ratio Solid Electrolyte Thin Films for Li-Ion Batteries by Atomic Layer Deposition.

Lithium phosphorus oxynitride (LiPON) is a state-of-the-art solid electrolyte material for thin-film microbatteries. These applications require conformal thin films on challenging 3D surface structures, and among the advanced thin-film deposition techniques, atomic layer deposition (ALD) is believed to stand out in terms of producing appreciably conformal thin films. Here we quantify the conformality (i.e., the evenness of deposition) of thin ALD-grown LiPON films using lateral high-aspect-ratio test structures. Two different lithium precursors, lithium tert-butoxide (LiOtBu) and lithium bis(trimethylsilyl)amide (Li-HMDS), were investigated in combination with diethyl phosphoramidate as the source of oxygen, phosphorus, and nitrogen. The results indicate that the film growth proceeded significantly deeper into the 3D cavities for the films grown from LiOtBu, while the Li-HMDS-based films grew more evenly initially, right after the cavity entrances. These observations can be explained by differences in the precursor diffusion and reactivity. The results open possibilities for the use of LiPON as a solid electrolyte in batteries with high-surface-area electrodes. This could enable faster charging and discharging as well as the use of thin-film technology in fabricating thin-film electrodes of meaningful charge capacity.

One-step synthesis of functional slippery lubricated coating with substrate independence, anti-fouling property, fog collection, corrosion resistance, and icephobicity

Ranging from industrial facilities to residential infrastructure, functional surfaces encompassing functionalities such as anti-fouling, fog collection, anti-corrosion, and anti-icing play a critical role in the daily lives of humans, but creating these surfaces is elusive. Bionic dewetting and liquid-infused surfaces have inspired the exploitation of functional surfaces. However, practical applications of these existing surfaces remain challenging because of their inherent shortcomings. In this study, we propose a novel functional slippery lubricated coating (FSLC) based on a simple blend of polysilazane (PSZ), silicone oil, and nano silica. This simple, nonfluorine based, and low-cost protocol promotes not only hierarchical micro-nano structure but also favorable surface chemistry, which facilitates robust silicone oil adhesion and excellent slippery properties (sliding angle: ∼1.6°) on various solid materials without extra processing or redundant treatments. The highly integrated competence of FSLC, characterized by robustness, durability, strong adhesion to substrates, and the ability for large-area preparation, render them ideal for practical production and application. The proposed FSLC holds outstanding application potentials for anti-fouling, self-cleaning, fog collection, anti-corrosion, and anti-icing functionalities.

Mix proportion and microscopic characterization of coal-based solid waste backfill material based on response surface methodology and multi-objective decision-making

The mix proportion of multi-source coal-based solid waste (CSW) for underground backfilling affects transportation and support performance of backfill materials, and even the backfilling cost. In this study, the optimal mix proportion of desulfurization gypsum (DG), furnace bottom slag (FBS) and gasification fine slag (GFS) is determined by the Response Surface Methodology–Box Behnken Design (RSM-BBD). Then the fluidity, bleeding rate, 3-day strength, 7-day strength and preparation cost are evaluation indicators, the optimal mix proportion of backfill materials is determined by the multi-objective decision-making method (MDM). Finally, the microstructure of the backfill material with optimal mix proportion was studied by TGA, MIP, SEM–EDS and XRD. The results show that the mix proportion of CSW with the optimal comprehensive index is coal gangue (CG): coal fly ash (CFA): DG: FBS: GFS = 1:1.5:0.2:0.1:0.1, the mass concentration is 78%, and ordinary Portland cement (OPC)/CSW = 7.5%. The weight loss phenomenon of the backfill material with the optimal mix proportion occurs continuously during the heating process, mainly due to the evaporation of crystal water, structural water and hydroxyl water. There are dense narrow-necked pores in the backfill material, and the pore connectivity is poor. There is no hydration reaction occurs between CSW particles, and the strength increase of the backfill material mainly depends on the hydration reaction of cement. In ettringite, part of Al2O3 is replaced by SiO2, and part of CaSO4 is replaced by CaCO3. This study provides a reference for the engineering application of underground backfilling with multi-source CSW.

Metal organic framework MOF-74 based solid-state electrolytes for all-solid-state sodium metal batteries

The all-solid-state sodium metal batteries (ASSMBs) are highly promising for their low cost. MOFs have emerged as potential solid electrolyte materials due to their abundant pores and open metal-active sites, enabling fast ion conduction. In this study, a solid electrolyte membrane Na/Mg-MOF-74 was synthesized using a simple method. The stable ion-conducting channel of Mg-MOF-74 contributed to the excellent electrochemical performance of ASSMBs coupled with Na/Mg-MOF-74 electrolyte, including high ionic conductivity (8.53 × 10−4 S cm−1 at 70 °C) and a wide potential window (1–4.3 V). This study represents the first utilization of Mg-MOF-74 for ASSMBs, marking a significant milestone in the field.

Effects of surface elasticity and surface viscoelasticity on liquid inclusions in solid materials

The effects of surface elasticity and surface viscoelasticity as well as surface tension on the deformation of solids with liquid inclusions are investigated using a finite element (FE) method. Both surface tension and surface elasticity stiffen the solids with liquid inclusions. The surface tension in elastic capillary number is replaced with surface Young’s modulus to define the second elastic capillary number. The aspect ratio of the included liquids is used to indicate the stiffening effect for both numbers. A smaller aspect ratio corresponds to a larger stiffening effect. In a typical FE analysis, when either number is 1 and the applied strain is 4%, the aspect ratio decreases by 7.4% due to surface tension and 2.6% due to surface elasticity. Compared to surface tension, surface elasticity has a similar but smaller influence on the deformation of solids with liquid inclusions. Extensive FE calculations are performed to establish the fitting formula for the aspect ratio as a function of elastic capillary number, the second elastic capillary number, and the applied strain. Surface viscoelasticity is modelled in the FE method by converting surface viscoelastic properties into the viscoelastic properties of the equivalent shell. The time-dependent aspect ratio due to surface viscoelasticity is presented and FE results show the same trend as those calculated from the approximated theory. The internal pressure of the included liquid is obtained from FE analysis and is compared with the theoretical estimation employing the Young–Laplace equation.

Robust micro-nano hybrid aerogel derived from waste resources for thermal management and high-efficiency adsorption

Ultra-low density nanoaerogels as the lightest solid material have aroused extensive attention. However, lacking crack extension resistance limited their further development and application. Here, aramid and cellulose wastes were recycled to prepare high value-added nanofibers, which were further self-assembled to construct multilfunctional hybrid aerogels. In-situ growth of zeolitic imidazolate frameworks-8 (ZIF-8) on the cellulose nanofiber (CNF) created a robust skeleton. Flexible aramid nanofibers (ANF), as burgeoning building blocks were employed to inlay into the microscopic skeleton structure for establishing micro-nano double networks. Benefiting from the existence of multiscale networks, the maximum value in the compressive stress of S0, S1, S2 and S3 increased from 2.74 to 4.63, 5.19 and 6.61 MPa, respectively.Meanwhile, ANF-ZIF-8-CNF hybrid aerogels exhibited low thermal conductivity of 3.58–3.97 × 10-2 W/(m⋅K). The significant increase in the specific surface area (481.46 m2/g) endowed hybrid aerogels with high adsorption abilities for nitrogen (280.83 cm3/g), prussian blue (34.12 mg⋅g−1), rhodamine B (37.30 mg⋅g−1), DMF (25.13 g⋅g−1) and DMSO (15.48 g⋅g−1), respectively. This multiscale structural engineering strategy opens an avenue toward to upcycle waste resources into the next-generation high-performance nanoaerogels, showing huge application potential in thermal management, air purification and sewage treatment.

Textile Dye Adsorption By Natural Perlite

Abstract In today’s world of industrial progress, pollution is a major concern, especially water pollution. Considered a real danger to mankind, this article looks at the treatment of water contaminated by textile dyes, which has become a danger to humans and the environment. As an example, we have chosen the green dye FB (anionic type) which is found in the rejects of a textile factory ENADITEX in the industrial zone of the wilaya of ORAN - ALGERIA, this dye is among the most used in the textile industry. The method adopted for dye removal is adsorption by natural perlite. The Experimental results showed that adsorption of the green dye FB on the porous solid studied: natural perlite, gave a removal rate of 87.51% for 60 minutes. The adsorption isotherms of the adsorbent/adsorbate systems studied are satisfactorily described by the two mathematical models Freundlich and Temkin. All the results obtained show that the adsorption kinetics of the green dye FB by the solid material is well described by the second-order model. The adsorption reaction is a physisorption, as the thermodynamic study demonstrated.

A rational study of transduction mechanisms of different materials for all solid contact-ISEs

The new era of solid contact ion selective electrodes (SC-ISEs) miniaturized design has received an extensive amount of concern. Because it eliminated the requirement for ongoing internal solution composition optimization and created a two-phase system with stronger detection limitations. Herein, the determination of venlafaxine HCl is based on a comparison study between different ion- to electron transduction materials (such as; multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs), polyaniline (PANi), and ferrocene) and illustrating their mechanisms in their applied sensors. Their different electrochemical features (such as bulk resistance (Rb**), double-layer capacitance (Cdl), geometric capacitance (Cg), and specific capacitance (Cp)) were evaluated and discussed by using the Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy (EIS), Chronopotentiometry (CP), and Cyclic Voltammetry (CV) experiments. The results indicated that each transducer's influence on the proposed sensor's electrochemical characteristics is determined by their unique chemical and physical properties. The electrochemical features vary for different solid contact materials used in transduction mechanisms. The results confirm that the MWCNT sensor revealed the best electrochemical behavior with the potentiometric response of a near-Nernestian slope of 56.1 ± 0.8 mV/decade with detection limits of 3.8 × 10−6 mol/L (r2 = 0.999) and a low potential drift (∆E/∆t) of 34.6 µV/s. Also, the selectivity study was performed in the presence of different interfering species either in single or complex matrices. This demonstrates excellent selectivity, stability, conductivity, and reliability as a VEN-TPB ion pair sensor for accurately measuring VEN in its various formulations. The proposed method was compared to HPLC reported technique and confirmed no significant difference between them. So, the proposed sensors fulfill their solutions' demand features for VEN appraisal.

Preparation of magnetic amphiphilic resin microspheres via the one-step polymerization method and extraction of four glucocorticoids for HPLC–MS analysis

Amphiphilic materials can be used for sample preparation of chromatography or mass spectrometry. Amphiphilic materials with magnetic properties in combination with magnetic suction devices allow for automated sample preparation. However, conventional synthesis methods are cumbersome and not suitable for the mass production of the material. In this study, a micro-suspension polymerization method was developed to synthesize magnetic amphiphilic resin microspheres (MARMs), providing new ideas for the preparation of amphiphilic microspheres. MARMs with particle sizes ranging from 3 to 6 μm were successfully prepared, with BET surface area up to 653.2 m2/g. A magnetic solid-phase extraction method based on MARM-5 was developed for the extraction of four glucocorticoids including Cortisone, Hydrocortisone, Cortodoxone, and Corticosterone. This method had a very short adsorption time of 0.5 min and a total extraction time of only 13 min. The limit of detection for the four glucocorticoids ranged from 0.22 to 0.82 ng/L. There was a good linear relationship between sample concentration and peak area in the range of 25∼500 ng/L. Relative recovery of 98 %∼108 % and internal standard normalized matrix effect factors of 95∼114 % were obtained, and the relative standard deviation was between 2.3 % and 6.3 %. The MARMs would be used as excellent solid extraction material for glucocorticoids.

An Updated Overview of Silica Aerogel-Based Nanomaterials.

Silica aerogels have gained much interest due to their unique properties, such as being the lightest solid material, having small pore sizes, high porosity, and ultralow thermal conductivity. Also, the advancements in synthesis methods have enabled the creation of silica aerogel-based composites in combination with different materials, for example, polymers, metals, and carbon-based structures. These new silica-based materials combine the properties of silica with the other materials to create a new and reinforced architecture with significantly valuable uses in different fields. Therefore, the importance of silica aerogels has been emphasized by presenting their properties, synthesis process, composites, and numerous applications, offering an updated background for further research in this interdisciplinary domain.

Robust Solid-State Na-CO2 Battery with Na2.7Zr2Si2PO11.7F0.3-PVDF-HFP Composite Solid Electrolyte and Na15Sn4/Na Anode.

Solid-state Na-CO2 batteries are a kind of energy storage devices that can immobilize and convert CO2. They have the advantages of both solid-state batteries and metal-air batteries. High-performance solid electrolyte and electrode materials are important for improving the performance of solid-state Na-CO2 batteries. In this work, we investigate the influence of fluorine doping on the structure and ionic conductivity of Na3Zr2Si2PO12 (NZSP). An ionic conductive solid electrolyte membrane was prepared by compositing the inorganic solid electrolyte Na2.7Zr2Si2PO11.7F0.3 (NZSPF3) with poly(vinylidene fluoride)-co-hexafluoropropylene (PVDF-HFP). It shows an ionic conductivity of up to 2.17 × 10-4 S cm-1 at room temperature, a high sodium ionic transfer number of ∼0.70, a broad electrochemical window of ∼5.18 V, and better mechanical strength. Furthermore, we studied the Na15Sn4/Na composite foil with the ability to inhibit dendrite as the anode for solid-state Na-CO2 batteries. Through density functional theory (DFT) calculations, the Na15Sn4 particle has been verified with a strong sodiophilic property, which reduces the nucleation barrier during the deposition process, leading to a lower overpotential. The symmetric cell assembled with the composite solid-state electrolyte NZSPF3-PVDF-HFP and Na15Sn4/Na composite anode can inhibit the growth of Na dendrites effectively and maintain the stability of the whole cell structure. Solid-state Na-CO2 batteries assembled with Ru-carbon nanotube (Ru-CNTs) as cathode catalysts exhibit a high discharge capacity of 6371.8 mAh g-1 at 200 mA g-1, excellent cycling stability for 1100 h, and good rate performance. This work provides a promising strategy for designing high-performance solid-state Na-CO2 batteries.

Application of SO42–/Fe2O3-CuO solid superacid materials in cyclic compounds from wastewater: Performance and mechanism

In wastewater treatment, the degradation of refractory cyclic compounds by catalytic ozonation using sulfated solid superacid has not been thoroughly investigated. The doped S element alters the electronic activity and drives the ozone oxidation of recalcitrant organic pollutants, potentially leading to an increase in catalytic efficiency. This study aimed to develop a novel iron-copper sulfate (SO42–/Fe2O3-CuO) solid superacid composite to strengthen catalytic reactions. According to the characterization results, the embedding of SO42– enhanced the electron transfer inside the material, leading to more Lewis acid sites, which facilitated the catalytic decomposition of O3. The catalytic degradation and reaction kinetics experiments on quinoline verified the superior catalytic performance of the SO42–/Fe2O3-CuO system compared to other systems. Fluorescence, UV–Vis spectrophotometry, and EPR experiments demonstrated that the hydroxyl radicals (OH), superoxide radicals (O2−), and singlet oxygen (1O2) were generated in the SO42–/Fe2O3-CuO system, and their presence accelerated the redox cycling of Fe(III)/Fe(II) and Cu(II)/Cu(I). In addition, the possible degradation pathways of quinoline were verified by density functional theory (DFT) calculations, and the toxicity of intermediates was assessed by quantitative structure–activity relationship (QSAR) analysis. Finally, the applicability of the SO42–/Fe2O3-CuO catalytic system in bio-treated coking wastewater (BTCW) was validated. GC–MS experiments further confirmed that it was mainly the cyclic compounds that contributed to the removal rate during the catalytic process. In summary, this study demonstrated the significant potential of the SO42–/Fe2O3-CuO catalytic system in degrading refractory cyclic compounds, providing valuable technical support for the field of wastewater treatment.

Methane catalytic cracking by solid materials and molten media for hydrogen production: A review

Excessive emission of carbon dioxide is the leading cause of global warming. Hydrogen has the advantages of high calorific value and zero carbon emissions. It is considered an ideal energy to solve the problem of global warming, so the demand for hydrogen is increasing yearly. Due to economic considerations, methane is the main raw material for hydrogen production. Currently, 48% of the world's hydrogen comes from steam methane reforming. However, this process needs to burn some methane for heating, generating carbon dioxide emissions simultaneously. In order to avoid carbon emissions from hydrogen production, there is an urgent need to develop new methods to produce hydrogen from methane. Because the carbon generated from direct methane cracking exists in solid form while not as carbon dioxide, the direct methane cracking process for hydrogen production has become a hot research topic in recent years. In this paper, a comprehensive review of the research related to catalytic methane cracking for hydrogen production is presented, especially the research on catalytic cracking of methane using solid materials or molten metal media as catalytic media is summarized in detail. Next, a brief overview of the mechanism of catalytic methane cracking for hydrogen production and the characteristics of the generated carbon as a by-product are presented. Finally, the catalytic cracking of methane in molten media or solid materials and the research trend were prospected.

Heat transfer mechanism and performance optimization scheme of refractory oxide solid heat storage materials

Clean energy advances can drive solid heat storage technology. Because of their high-temperature, corrosion, and excellent thermal shock resistance properties, refractory oxides are widely used as solid heat storage materials. However, their applications are limited owing to their poor heat-transfer performance resulting from their multicomponent, multiphase, and complex nature and thus understanding their heat-transfer mechanism will be crucial for their performance optimization. In this study, the thermal properties and mechanisms of corundum, high-alumina, and magnesia bricks were characterized using heat-transfer theories and models. Macroscopic analysis of the bricks revealed that they are all “internal porosity” materials. By comparing the weighting parameter j, the multiphase high-alumina brick shows poor heat-transfer path patency and the measured thermal conductivity is the lowest at 3.55 W m−1 K−1. Microscopic analysis found that in contrast to the thermal conductivity of other materials, the thermal conductivity of high-alumina bricks was significantly affected by phonon intrinsic scattering. Moreover, corundum and magnesia bricks exhibited a wider range of ultimate heat-transfer performance than the high-alumina brick. Hence, the heat-transfer performance of refractory oxide can be enhanced by increasing their particle contact, reducing the negative effects of microcracks, phases, and impurities, and by reducing the number of defects on phonon heat transfer, thereby providing an optimization scheme for improving the heat-transfer performance of the materials.

Predictive modeling of dining facility waste by material type across time and geography

The increasing rate of global solid waste generation is startling. This is exacerbating the challenge of decreasing solid waste generation to reduce disposal in landfills. U.S. Army installations offer a unique qualitative and quantitative dataset across a span of geographical locations. Modeling prediction capability of dining facility (DFAC) solid waste streams using data from 11 Army installations was investigated to demonstrate aggregate building and material type generation forecasting. Solid waste generation data were collected, quantified, and categorized for diversion potential (e.g., source reduction, reuse, recycling, composting, etc.) of materials currently landfilled. Over one week, samples from one day of DFAC operations were collected for each installation. Materials from the samples were manually separated into 22 categories, weighed, and recorded. Results identified many solid waste stream materials with diversion potential. Five material types were down selected to construct and validate the linear regression model. The material types down selection was based on available data robustness and applicability beyond military contexts. A linear regression model was constructed for five material and building type combinations to avoid multiplication factor errors of coefficients for each independent variable. Results were statistically significant (p-value ≤ 0.05) for four of five modeling combination predictions. These results demonstrate the unique capability of predicting solid waste generation for the four statistically significant model combinations. Each of the four statistically significant model combinations differed in adjusted R2 values, ranging from 0.988 to 0.996. This study provides five linear regression model combinations with predictive power that could reduce the labor- and cost-intensive process of characterizing waste streams while increasing data availability across the continental U.S. to focus targeted source reduction efforts for dining settings.