Konya Firm Develops Advanced Coating Technology for Firearms

A company that introduced boron technology for nickel plating, which is used to increase durability in metal materials, is adding value to the defense industry in Konya.

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Mustafa Kocabaş, a faculty member of the Metallurgical and Materials Engineering Department at Konya Technical University, is turning his academic research into products with the company he founded at InnoPark Technology Development Zone.

Kocabaş, who has been working on nickel plating to increase the durability of metal materials, has advanced the system, commonly used abroad, by utilizing boron more effectively.

The company's production of non-current nickel-boron (Ni-B) plating process meets the needs of industries that require high-quality surfaces.

The chemical product developed for firearms and the defense industry not only offers superior corrosion resistance in materials but also demonstrates excellent wear resistance.

Nickel-boron (Ni-B) plating, which provides excellent protection against extreme heat, stands out with its low cost.

Kocabaş stated that they have commercialized the metal plating method widely used in the United States in Turkey.

Emphasizing the importance of developing the nickel-boron process in Turkey, Kocabaş said:

"It started to be recognized in Turkey with us. While there were academic studies, the difficult part was making it usable in industry, and we have succeeded in that. This is a sellable chemical. We are both the producer and the applicator of the chemical. Some companies in the U.S. don't offer this. In our work, we have obtained a formulation that they don't even have because our region is particularly developing in the areas of firearms and defense industry. We already knew that this coating was used here. Since we knew the needs, we combined these two factors. Right now, we have established our own unique coating process."