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Advanced Fuel Research

ServiceEast Hartford, CT, USAFounded 1980· One of 2190 Service companies tracked by AMPulse

Contract R&D and analytical services firm using 3D printing (FDM) to fabricate monolithic trace-contaminant sorbents for NASA life-support systems, reducing sorbent cost and enabling regeneration.

CEO / Founder
James R. Markham
Team Size
11-50
Stage
Established

Technology & Products

Key Products

3D-printed monolithic trace-contaminant sorbents; FT-IR spectroscopy instruments and software; Contract R&D services in pyrolysis, combustion, and carbon materials

Technological Advantage

Proprietary process for 3D-printing polymer precursors that are carbonized into monolithic sorbents, achieving regenerable ammonia adsorption; advantage is protected by know-how and NASA SBIR contracts, though not by a published patent portfolio.

Differentiation

Value Proposition

Provides NASA and aerospace customers with 3D-printed regenerable trace-contaminant sorbents that reduce mass and enable on-demand fabrication, while offering contract R&D and analytical services to de-risk technology development.

How They Differentiate

Unlike traditional packed-bed sorbents, AFR's 3D-printed monoliths are regenerable and can be fabricated on demand, reducing logistics and mass for space missions.

Market & Competition

Target Customers

NASA, aerospace OEMs, government research agencies, and industrial clients needing custom sorbents and analytical services

Industry Verticals

Aerospace; Defense; Energy; Environmental

Competitors

Kion Corporation; Molecular Products; BASF

Growth & Milestones

Growth Metrics

employees: 5 full-time, 3 part-time. publications: Over 200 publications. patents: 35 patents

Major Milestones

Founded in 1980; Received two NASA SBIR Phase I projects for regenerable trace-contaminant sorbents; Celebrated 25th anniversary in 2005

Notable Customers

NASA

http://www.afrinc.com

AM patents

AM-relevant patents linked to this company.

Patents
4
Granted
1
Families
4

Leading domains: process (4)

Filings by year: 2021: 2 · 2019: 2

  1. Polymer-monolith pre-oxidation to improve shape retention during subsequent heat treatment, and monolith produced12447459 · US
  2. POLYMER-MONOLITH PRE-OXIDATION TO IMPROVE SHAPE RETENTION DURING SUBSEQUENT HEAT TREATMENT, AND MONOLITH PRODUCED20260027544 · US
  3. MONOLITHIC TRACE-CONTAMINANT SORBENTS FABRICATED FROM 3D-PRINTED POLYMER PRECURSORS20250033024 · US
  4. MONOLITHIC TRACE-CONTAMINANT SORBENTS FABRICATED FROM 3D-PRINTED POLYMER PRECURSORS20210001305 · US