Impact and Validation

DoD-validated, sole-source PFAS destruction — proven impact across complex waste streams

Sole Source Justification Contracting

AxNano has been awarded a Sole Source Justification from the Department of War for its unique, field-proven PFAS destruction technology. This designation allows federal partners to contract with AxNano faster and more efficiently, streamlining procurement while ensuring access to our unique capabilities. AxNano is an Army xTechPrime awardee and an Air Force TACFI-funded company. We have secured $11.3 million in federal contracts.

Our work has been supported by:

Executive Summary

The U.S. Department of the Air Force (DAF) generates significant volumes of hazardous waste from critical mission activities including aircraft maintenance, firefighting training, and fuel management. Traditional waste management methods—landfilling and incineration—are increasingly constrained by regulatory moratoriums and rising risks, especially for emerging contaminants such as PFAS. With PFAS liabilities estimated at up to $9 billion, the DoD urgently requires scalable, defensible, and sustainable destruction technologies.

AxNano’s AxSure™ system, which integrates a proprietary Automated Feed System (AFS) with Supercritical Water Oxidation (SCWO), provides a next-generation solution capable of safely and effectively destroying PFAS and other persistent contaminants across complex waste streams.

Project Goal and Approach

This SBIR Phase II program demonstrated that pairing AxNano’s AFS with SCWO significantly expands the operational feasibility, stability, and economics of on-site PFAS destruction for DAF installations. Testing was conducted at General Atomics’ SCWO pilot facility and evaluated three core Data Quality Objectives:

  1. PFAS destruction performance and reactor stability across diverse waste types.
  2. AFS capability to create slurry feeds that meet SCWO operating boundaries for continuous flow.
  3. Technical and economic viability of integrating AxNano’s process into DAF waste management workflows.

AxNano processed ~1,445 gallons of real PFAS-impacted liquid and solid wastes—including AFFF wastewater, RO reject, biosolids, spent GAC, and spent resin—characterizing influent/effluent chemistry, reactor behavior, and lifecycle cost implications.

Key Findings

Superior PFAS Destruction Across Multiple Waste Types

  • Achieved up to 99.995% removal efficiency, particularly for PFAS-laden GAC previously considered untreatable by SCWO alone.
  • Demonstrated stable reactor operations across waste types varying in solids content, particle size, BTU, and salt concentration.
  • High BTU wastes supported improved PFAS destruction, reducing diesel consumption and operating cost.

Automated Feed System Enables Continuous Operation

The AFS is essential for transforming solids and mixed wastes into uniform, pumpable slurries compatible with SCWO. Phase II testing:

  • Reduced solids-processing time from gallons per day to 0.33 gallons per minute.
  • Achieved reliable grinding of solids (<250 microns) without clogging.
  • Enabled continuous SCWO throughput of up to 1.8 GPM, a critical criterion for cost-effective on-site treatment.
  • Confirmed compatibility of AFS-prepared feed with GA’s SCWO boundary conditions.

Economic Advantage: Up to 83% Lower Cost Than Off-Site Disposal

Cost modeling indicates that for installations generating sufficient liquid waste to maintain continuous operation:

  • AxSure™ reduces life-cycle costs by 77–83% over 10 years compared to landfilling and incineration.
  • Diesel and labor are primary operating cost drivers; optimizing feed BTU can reduce OpEx by up to 93%.
  • For solid-only waste generators, landfilling may remain cheaper strictly on cost, though long-term liability was not included.

Regulatory and Disposal Considerations

  • Effluent metals met all industrial discharge limits.
  • PFAS detected in effluent was largely attributable to background contamination in source water, underscoring the need for PFAS-free inputs and robust QA/QC.
  • SCWO aligns with the EPA’s 2024 Technology Evaluation Framework for PFAS destruction and is identified as a promising non-incineration pathway.

Commercialization Progress and Phase III Readiness

AxNano has already generated significant non-SBIR traction:

  • Two purchase orders for AFS units and two private-sector RFQs.
  • Patent applications and trademark filings for AxSure™.
  • Participation in DIU/ESTCP programs for scale-up and reliability testing.
  • Active TACFI proposal with Robins AFB to expand validation across additional waste streams.

Next steps include extended testing, regulatory engagement, design enhancements (safety, automation, foam/vapor control), and scaling manufacturing and commercial operations.

Conclusion

AxNano’s AxSure™ system transforms SCWO into a viable, scalable, and economically superior alternative to traditional PFAS disposal methods. By enabling continuous processing of complex solid and liquid wastes—with high destruction efficiency and robust reactor stability—the AFS + SCWO platform offers the DAF and broader DoD a practical path toward eliminating PFAS liabilities while reducing long-term cost and risk.

AxNano is now positioned for rapid Phase III transition to deploy AxSure™ across military, industrial, and municipal environments seeking a proven, non-incineration PFAS destruction solution.

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