STTR Phase I: An Additively Manufactured Reactor for Emerging Contaminant Destruction

小型企业技术转让(STTR)第一阶段项目的更广泛影响/商业潜力是加快销毁有毒的全氟烷基和多氟烷基(PFAS)的新技术，PFAS广泛用于灭火泡沫和消费品。然而，它们是环境污染物，对人类消费具有剧毒，很难销毁。全氟辛烷磺酸不会自然分解，焚烧分解效果很差。机场、军事基地和制造基地附近的土壤、地下水和饮用水受到广泛污染，正在推动清除和销毁PFAS毒素的努力。该项目将推动以节能、可扩展、易于部署的方式销毁富含全氟辛烷磺酸的废物的技术。该STTR第一期项目旨在利用先进的制造技术和新颖的耐腐蚀合金来推进水热碱处理(HALT)工艺，以销毁全氟辛烷磺酸。水热加工历来受到腐蚀和部件寿命挑战的困扰，需要使用昂贵的合金、可更换的系统部件和/或优雅的化学防腐策略。然而，水热工艺是销毁全氟甲烷等危险废物的最有效和最高效的技术之一。成功地减轻材料腐蚀的挑战将导致更广泛地采用水热工艺处理废物。该项目将利用先进的制造技术来测试几种耐腐蚀材料在恶劣的停机条件下的性能。使用这些耐腐蚀材料可以延长部件寿命，同时降低制造成本、减少部件制造和系统维护成本。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力优势和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) Phase I project is the acceleration of a new technology for the destruction of toxic per- and polyfluoroalkyl (PFAS), widely used in firefighting foams and consumer goods. However, they are environmental pollutants, highly toxic to human consumption, and hard to destroy. PFAS do not decompose naturally and are poorly broken down by incineration. Widespread contamination of soil, groundwater, and drinking water at sites near airports, military bases, and manufacturing sites is driving an effort to remove and destroy PFAS toxins. This project will advance a technology for destruction of PFAS-rich wastes in an energy-efficient, scalable, easily deployed manner. This STTR Phase I project seeks to leverage advanced manufacturing techniques and novel, corrosion-resistant alloys to advance the hydrothermal alkaline treatment (HALT) process for the destruction of PFAS. Hydrothermal processing has historically been plagued by challenges with corrosion and component lifetimes, requiring the use of expensive alloys, replaceable system components, and/or elegant chemical corrosion prevention strategies. However, hydrothermal processes are some of the most effective and efficient technologies for destroying hazardous wastes, such as PFAS. Successfully mitigating the material corrosion challenge would lead to more widespread adoption of hydrothermal processes for waste disposal. This project will leverage advanced manufacturing techniques to test the performance of several corrosion-resistant materials under the harsh, HALT conditions. Use of these corrosion-resistant materials may extend component lifetimes while reducing fabrication costs, reducing component fabrication and system maintenance costs.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.