ADVANCED FUEL RESEARCH, INC.

East Hartford, CT · Aerospace · Private

3D-printed structured carbon-based multipollutant trace-contaminant sorbent system for spacecraft life support

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Updated Oct 23, 2026 · afrinc.com

Sector: Aerospace
Headquarters: East Hartford, CT
Total capital: $17.5M

Federal grants: $3.5M; 4 awards · 2017–2021; Rank in peer group#41 of 61
Private capital raised: None on recordNo Form D filings on SEC EDGAR. Some raises are not filed.
Federal contracts: $14M; 37 awards · Defense, NASA, Homeland Security; Rank in Aerospace#191 of 1335
Granted patents: 2; 8 pending · first 2024; Rank in peer group#14 of 61

Capital timeline

Latest events

Feb 2025Federal contractNASA · High Temperature Emissivity Measurements Of Non-opaque Materials$24K
Sep 2021Federal grantNASA · Phase II · Advanced Multipollutant Trace Contaminant Sorbents for the Exploration Portable Life Support System$749K
Sep 2021Federal contractNASA · Advanced Multipollutant Trace Contaminant Sorbents For The Exploration Portable Life Support System.$949K
Aug 2020Federal contractNASA · Advanced Multipollutant Trace Contaminant Sorbents For The Exploration Portable Life Support System$125K
Jul 2019Federal grantNASA · Phase II · Innovative, Rapidly Regenerable, Structured Trace-Contaminant Sorbents Fabricated Using 3D Printing$748K
May 2019Federal contractNASA · The NASA Phase II SBIR Project Has Produced A Prototype Torrefaction Processing Unit (tpu) For Human Solid Waste Management. This Tpu Has Undergone Limited Testing (4 Experiments) With Synthetic (2), Canine (1), And Human Feces (1), Along With The Associated Paper And Plastic/rubber Components. The Phase Ii-x Project Would Be Done In Two Main Tasks: 1) A Significantly Expanded Test Program That Would Include A Minimum Of 20 Additional Tests Of The Full Scale Prototype, Including 10-15 Experiment$75K
Apr 2019Federal grantDefense · Phase II · Benchtop Instrument for Measuring High Temperature Surface Emissivity (CRP)$1.0M

Show 32 earlier federal awards

Jul 2018Federal contractNASA · The NASA Objective Of Expanding The Human Experience Into The Far Reaches Of Space Requires Regenerable Life Support Systems. This Proposal Addresses The Fabrication Of Structured (monolithic), Carbon-based Trace-contaminant (tc) Sorbents For The Space Suit Used In Extravehicular Activities (evas). The Proposed Innovations Are: (1) The Use Of Thin-walled, Structured Carbon Tc Sorbents Fabricated Using Three-dimensional (3D) Printing; And (2) The Patented Low-temperature Oxidation Step Used For T$124K
Mar 2018Federal contractNASA · Advanced Environmental Barrier Coating Emittance Measurement$3K
Aug 2017Federal grantDefense · Phase II · GammaPix: Low-cost, ubiquitous, ionizing-radiation detection$1.0M
Jan 2017Federal contractNASA · Igf::ot::igf High Temperature Transitivity/reflectivity/emissivity Measurements Of Environmental Barrier Coatings$750
Nov 2016Federal contractNASA · Igf::ot::igf Advanced Fuel Research, Inc. Custom Measurement Series$3K
Jun 2016Federal contractNASA · Igf::ot::igf The NASA SBIR Phase I Project Addressed The Technical Feasibility Of An Innovative Torrefaction (mild Pyrolysis) Processing System That Can Be Used To Sterilize Feces And Produce A Stable, Odor-free Solid Product Than Can Be Easily Stored Or Recycled, While Simultaneously Recovering Moisture And Producing Small Amounts Of Other Useful Products. The Phase I Project Demonstrated That Mild Heating (200-250 C) Was Adequate For Torrefaction Of A Fecal Simulant And Other Analogs Of Human$905K
Jun 2015Federal contractNASA · Igf::ot::igf New Technology Is Needed To Collect, Stabilize, Recover Useful Materials, And Store Human Fecal Waste For Long Duration Missions, Both For Crew Safety, Comfort And Resource Requirements And Planetary Protection. The Proposed SBIR Phase I Project Addresses An Innovative Torrefaction (mild Pyrolysis) Processing Approach That Can Be Used To Sterilize Feces, Control Odor, And Produce A Stable, Free Flowing Powder That Can Be Easily Stored Or Recycled, While Simultaneously Recovering All$125K
Apr 2014Federal contractNASA · Igf::ot::igf The NASA Objective Of Expanding The Human Experience Into The Far Reaches Of Space Requires The Development Of Regenerable Life Support Systems. This Proposal Addresses The Development Of An Integrated Air-revitalization System For The Space Suit Used In Extravehicular Activities (evas). The Proposed Innovations Are: (1) A Single CO2, Trace-contaminant, And H2O Management Unit; (2) A Single Sorbent Possessing The Capability To Remove CO2, Trace Contaminants, And H2O; (3) Monolithic $749K
Jun 2013Federal contractNASA · Igf::ot::igf Phase III SBIR Afr$20K
May 2013Federal contractNASA · Igf::ot::igf The NASA Objective Of Expanding The Human Experience Into The Far Reaches Of Space Requires The Development Of Regenerable Life Support Systems. This Proposal Addresses The Development Of An Integrated Air-revitalization System For The Space Suit Used In Extravehicular Activities (evas). The Proposed Innovations Are: (1) A Single CO2, H2O, And Trace-contaminant Management Unit; (2) A Single Sorbent Possessing The Capability To Remove CO2, H2O, And Trace Contaminants; (3) Monolithic$125K
May 2013Federal contractNASA · Igf::ot::igf New Technology Is Needed To Collect, Stabilize, Safen, Recover Useful Materials, And Store Human Fecal Waste For Long Duration Missions. The Current SBIR Phase I Proposal Will Examine An Innovative Torrefaction (mild Pyrolysis) Processing System That Can Be Used To Sterilize Feces And Produce A Stable, Free Flowing Powder Than Can Be Easily Stored Or Recycled, While Simultaneously Recovering All Of The Moisture And Producing Minimal Amounts Of Other Gases. The System Will Also Requ$125K
Sep 2012Federal contractDefense · SBIR Phase II Proposal F2-6880, Titled High Speed Thermal Imaging Of In-service Tbc Blades.$785K
May 2011Federal contractNASA · Optical Measurements For Samples$8K
Feb 2011Federal contractNASA · The NASA Objective Of Expanding The Human Experience Into The Far Reaches Of Space Requires The Development Of Regenerable Life Support Systems. This Proposal Addresses The Development Of A Regenerable Air-revitalization System For Trace-contaminant (tc) Removal For The Space Suit Used In Extravehicular Activities (evas). The Proposed Innovations Are: (1) A Carbon Monolith Sorbent, In Contrast To The Currently Used Bed Of Granular Charcoal; (2) Carbon Pore Structure Tailored For Optimal Vacuum/t$100K
Feb 2011Federal contractNASA · Auscultation, Or Listening To Internal Sounds Made By The Body Of A Patient, Is An Important Tool In Medical Diagnostics. Heart, Lung, Intestine, And Circulatory Function Can Be Assessed Through Careful Listening. There Are Numerous Situations, However, Where The Faint Sounds Collected Using An Ordinary Stethoscope Are Overwhelmed By Ambient Noise. Such Is The Case In Spacecraft, Where Room Is Scarce And Noise Generating Equipment Is Always Nearby. Here, A Stethoscope Employing Laser Doppler Vib$100K
Nov 2010Federal contractInterior · New Contract, Baa 10-41 Transapps Program "radiation Detection Application For Mobile Platforms"$1.2M
Sep 2010Federal contractDefense · AF093-260$750K
Jan 2010Federal contractNASA · Pyrolysis Processing Can Be Used In Near Term Missions For Volume Reduction, Water Recovery (drying), Stabilization, And Enhanced Water And Oxygen Recovery Through Thermochemical Reactions. For Longer Term Missions, The Added Benefits Include Production Of Fuel, Multi-purpose Carbon, And Reactants For In-situ Resource Utilization (isru). The Objective Of The Phase I SBIR Program Was To Demonstrate The Feasibility Of Integrating Pyrolysis, Tar Cracking, And Oxidation Steps Into A Compact, Efficie$600K
Apr 2009Federal contractDefense · Phase II$949K
Feb 2009Federal contractDefense · SBIR Phase I$100K
Jan 2009Federal contractNASA · A Compact, Efficient Pyrolysis/oxidation System For Solid Waste Resource Recovery In Space Both Pyrolysis And Oxidation Steps Have Been Considered As The Key Solid Waste Processing Step For A Controlled Ecological Life Support System (celss). Pyrolysis Is More Amenable To Handling Mixed Solid Waste Streams In A Microgravity Environment, But Produces A More Complex Product Stream. Oxidation (incineration) Produces A Simpler Product Stream, But The Oxidation Of Mixed Solids Is A Complex Unit Ope$100K
Mar 2008Federal contractNASA · Measure Emissivity Uupic: 247169921 Robert Miller$11K
Dec 2007Federal contractDefense · F073-057-0712 High-speed Thermal Imaging$100K
Sep 2007Federal contractHomeland Security · SBIR Topic 7.1 Phase I$150K
Sep 2007Federal contractDefense · Phase II Open-air Range Scattered Laser Light$589K
Dec 2005Federal contractNASA · Modeling, Testing And Deploying A Multifunctional Radiation Shielding/hydrogen Storage Unit$600K
Sep 2005Federal contractDefense · 200511!000278!5700!FA9101!AEDC/PKP !FA910105C0036 !a!n! !y! ! !20050902!20061011!021804661!021804661!021804661!N!ADVANCED Fuel Research Inc !87 Church St !east Hartford !CT!06108!22700!003!09!EAST Hartford !hartford !conn !+000000450000!N!N!000000749947!AD95!RDTE/OTHER Defense-eng/manuf Develop !S1 !services !000 !* !541710!E! !3! ! ! ! ! !202$750K
Nov 2004Federal contractNASA · SBIR Ii/panoramic Steroscopic Video System For Remote -controlled Robotic Space Operations$600K
Aug 2004Federal contractDefense · 200412!000051!5700!GY03 !aedc/pkp R&d Contracts !FA910104C0034 !a!n! !y! ! !20040831!20060721!021804661!021804661!021804661!N!ADVANCED Fuel Research, Inc !87 Church Street !east Hartford !CT!06108!22700!003!09!EAST Hartford !hartford !conn !+000000500000!N!N!000000000000!AD95!RDTE/OTHER Defense-eng/manuf Develop !C9E!ALL Other Supplies And Equipment !000 !* !541710!E! !3! ! ! ! ! !999$550K
Oct 2003Federal contractDefense · 200412!000005!5700!GX01 !afosr/pk Bafb !FA955004C0008 !a!n! !y! ! !20031010!20051014!021804661!021804661!021804661!N!ADVANCED Fuel Research, Inc !87 Church Street !east Hartford !CT!06108!22700!003!09!EAST Hartford !hartford !conn !+000000250000!N!N!000000499975!AJ11!RDTE/PHYSICAL Sciences - Basic Research !S1 !services !000 !* !541710!E! !3! ! ! ! ! !999$500K
Sep 2003Federal contractDefense · 200312!000044!5700!GY03 !aedc/pkp R&d Contracts !F4060002C0018 !a!n! !N!P00001 !20030926!20041016!021804661!021804661!021804661!N!ADVANCED Fuel Research, Inc !87 Church Street !east Hartford !CT!06108!22700!003!09!EAST Hartford !hartford !conn !+000000459790!N!N!000000000000!AD95!RDTE/OTHER Defense-eng/manuf Develop !C9E!ALL Other Supplies And EQUIPME!3000!NOT Discernable Or Classified !541710!E! !3! ! !d! ! !99990909!B$774K
Sep 2001Federal contractDefense · 200112!000028!5700!GY03 !aedc/pkp R&d Contracts !F4060001C0014 !a!n!*!n! !20010914!20030228!021804661!021804661!021804661!N!ADVANCED Fuel Research, Inc !87 Church Street !east Hartford !CT!06108!22700!003!09!EAST Hartford !hartford !conn !+000000449949!N!N!000000000000!AD96!RDTE/OTHER Defense-management Support !C9E!ALL Other Supplies And EQUIPME!3000!NOT Discernable Or Classified !541710!*!*!3! ! ! !*!*!*!b!*!*!a!$1.2M

Node area is scaled to amount. Form D reports securities sold, which can differ from an announced round; filings are numbered in the order they were made.

2 records have no date or no amount, so they aren’t placed on the timeline.

Standing among 61 peers

Line = median

Aerospace · Orbital_ops · Material

Federal grantsBelow median
Granted patents#14 · top 23%

Cumulative measures favor older companies. Rankings describe position today, not outcome. Below the median, ranks show as a band rather than a number.

Founders and team

No founders are linked to this company yet.

Founders appear once a person is matched to the company through its own patents, grants or filings. We never infer people from social profiles.

Checked: USPTO inventors; federal award principal investigators; SEC Form D related persons · Oct 23, 2026

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What it has protected

USPTO · 2 granted of 10

Jan 29, 2026PendingPolymer-monolith Pre-oxidation To Improve Shape Retention During Subsequent Heat Treatment, And Monolith ProducedUSPTOApplication 19344171
Oct 21, 2025GrantedPolymer-monolith Pre-oxidation To Improve Shape Retention During Subsequent Heat Treatment, And Monolith ProducedUSPTOUS 12,447,459
Jan 30, 2025PendingMonolithic Trace-contaminant Sorbents Fabricated From 3D-PRINTED Polymer PrecursorsUSPTOApplication 18816643

Show all 10 patent records

Polymer-monolith Pre-oxidation To Improve Shape Retention During Subsequent Heat Treatment, And Monolith ProducedJan 29, 2026 · Application 19344171Pending
Polymer-monolith Pre-oxidation To Improve Shape Retention During Subsequent Heat Treatment, And Monolith ProducedOct 21, 2025 · US 12,447,459Granted
Monolithic Trace-contaminant Sorbents Fabricated From 3D-PRINTED Polymer PrecursorsJan 30, 2025 · Application 18816643Pending
Monolithic Trace-contaminant Sorbents Fabricated From 3D-PRINTED Polymer PrecursorsSep 10, 2024 · US 12,083,495Granted
Laser StethoscopeApplication PCTUS2012000500Pending
Carbon-based Sorbent For Gas Storage, And Method For Preparation ThereofApplication PCTUS2008007948Pending
Image Analysis By Object Addition And RecoveryApplication PCTUS2007077996Pending
Polymer Monolith Pre-oxidation To Improve Shape Retention In The Fabrication Of Monolithic Trace-contaminant Sorbents Fabricated From 3D-PRINTED Polymer PrecursorsApplication 63220263Pending
Monolithic Trace-contaminant Sorbents Fabricated From 3D-PRINTED PrecursorsApplication 62871106Pending
Monolithic Trace-contaminant Sorbents Fabricated From 3D-PRINTED Polymer PrecursorsApplication 62870718Pending

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Boston Micromachines CorporationSimilar federal contract value in Aerospace · $13.7M in contracts
LeoLabsSimilar federal contract value in Aerospace · $13.6M in contracts

Regulatory activity · Aerospace

Sector-level, not company-level

06 Jul 2026Nondiscrimination in Federally Assisted Programs of NASA-Effectuation of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964National Aeronautics and Space Administration
01 Jul 2026Special Conditions: AMAC Aerospace, The Boeing Company Model 747- 8 Airplane; Side-Facing SeatsFederal Aviation Administration
26 Jun 2026Standard Instrument Approach Procedures, and Takeoff Minimums and Obstacle Departure Procedures; Miscellaneous AmendmentsFederal Aviation Administration
23 Jun 2026Operating Limitations at John F. Kennedy International AirportFederal Aviation Administration
23 Jun 2026Operating Limitations at New York LaGuardia AirportFederal Aviation Administration
18 Jun 2026Special Conditions: Honeywell Aerospace US LLC, Dassault Aviation Model Falcon 900EX Airplane; Electronic System Security Protection From Unauthorized External AccessFederal Aviation Administration

Rules are matched to sector, not to company. Recent activity in a sector is context rather than a signal about this business — until rules are matched to what a company actually builds, the section is shown as context and nothing more.

Sources

Federal grants from SBIR/STTR, NIH, NSF and DoD records. Federal contracts from USAspending.gov. Private capital from SEC Form D. Patents from USPTO. Publications from OpenAlex. Regulatory activity from the Federal Register. Press matched on company name.

How to read this page

Figures show associations in public records, not causes or predictions. Nothing here is investment advice. An em-dash means no record was found under this company's name, not that none exists.

Data freshness

SEC Form D filings through Oct 23, 2026. SBIR and STTR awards through Oct 21, 2026.