Competitive and Cutting-Edge

The economic benefits of new technologies and environmental responsibility have cutting-edge companies replacing mainstream materials with new and innovative composites. Introducing these new product lines to the marketplace can be expensive.

Recycle Iowa and the University ofNorthern Iowa’s Recycling and Reuse Technology Transfer Center have partnered to provide Iowa companies with affordable access to the latest in mechanical, physical and chemical properties testing.

Customized Assistance

The Materials Innovation Service (MIS) provides small- to medium-sized businesses with testing of new recycled content materials. MIS also acts as a consulting agency, tailoring its test services to each client’s particular needs and assisting these businesses in product development whenever possible.

Comprehensive Testing Services

Chemical, mechanical and physical property tests are available for a wide range of metallic, polymer, and cementitious materials. Chemical testing available consist of tests such as arbon analysis, inductively couple plasma, atomic absorption, infrared spectroscopy, gas and liquid chromatography, mass spectrometry etc. mechanical and physical properties testing such as compression, flexure, hardness, impact, split-tensile, stiffness, tension, toughness, artificial aging, color analysis, flammability, melt indexing (plastics), thermal conductivity etc. are also available. Testing is performed and supervised by uniquely trained graduate students and engineering faculty from the University of Northern Iowa’s Department of Biology, Chemistry and Industrial Technology.

An Investment Your Business Can Afford

Test services are initially provided to companies through a reduced cost share incentive program where 2/3 of testing costs are covered by the program supporting entries IDED and RRTTC upon approval by the directors of said programs. Companies must also meet certain criteria to receive cost share assistance, these include: amount of by-product likely to be utilized; whether or not a new product line will be developed; total cost of testing requested; and the number of times a company has requested MIS services.