Polyurea and polyurethane compositions for golf equipment

1. A golf ball comprising a core and a cover, wherein the cover is formed from a reactive product composition comprising:

a prepolymer comprising:

an isocyanate; and

an amine-terminated compound selected from the group consisting of:

and mixtures thereof, wherein n, x, y, and z are about 1 or greater, wherein R comprises alkyl groups having about 1 to about 20 carbon atoms; phenyl groups; cyclic groups; or mixtures thereof, wherein R 1 and R 2 comprise alkylene groups having about 1 to about 20 carbon atoms, phenylene groups, cyclic groups, or mixtures thereof, and wherein R 3 comprises a hydrogen, a methyl group, or a mixture thereof; and

a curing agent.

2. The golf ball of claim 1 , wherein the composition comprises linkages having the general formulae:

or a mixture thereof, wherein x is the chain length, i.e., about 1 or greater, and wherein R and R 1 are straight chain or branched hydrocarbon chains having about 1 to about 20 carbons.

3. The golf ball of claim 1 , wherein the composition consists of linkages having the general formula:

wherein x is the chain length, i.e., about 1 or greater, and wherein R and R 1 comprise straight chain or branched hydrocarbon chains having about 1 to about 20 carbons.

4. The golf ball of claim 1 , wherein the curing agent is selected from the group consisting of hydroxy-terminated curing agents, amine-terminated curing agents, and mixtures thereof.

5. The golf ball of claim 4 , wherein the amine-terminated curing agents are selected from the group consisting of ethylene diamine; hexamethylene diamine; 1-methyl-2,6-cyclohexyl diamine; 2,2,4- and 2,4,4-trimethyl-1,6-hexanediamine; 4,4′-bis-(sec-butylamino)-dicyclohexylmethane; N,N′-diisopropyl-isophorone diamine; 1,4-bis-(sec-butylamino)-cyclohexane; 1,2-bis-(sec-butylamino)-cyclohexane; derivatives of 4,4′-bis-(sec-butylamino)-dicyclohexylmethane; ; 4,4′-dicyclohexylmethane diamine; 1,4-cyclohexane-bis-(methylamine); 1,3-cyclohexane-bis-(methylamine); diethylene glycol bis-(aminopropyl) ether; 2-methylpentamethylene-diamine; diaminocyclohexane; diethylene triamine; triethylene tetramine; tetraethylene pentamine; propylene diamine; 1,3-diaminopropane; dimethylamino propylamine; diethylamino propylamine; imido-bis-(propylamine); monoethanolamine, diethanolamine; triethanolamine; monoisopropanolamine, diisopropanolamine; isophoronediamine; polyoxypropylene diamine; propylene oxide-based triamine; 3,3′-dimethyl-4,4′-diaminocyclohexylmethane; and mixtures thereof.

6. The golf ball of claim 4 , wherein the amine-terminated curing agent is a secondary diamine curing agent.

7. The golf ball of claim 1 , wherein the cover has a difference in yellowness index of about 12 or less after 5 days of ultraviolet light exposure.

8. The golf ball of claim 1 , wherein the cover has a difference in b chroma dimension of about 6 or less after 5 days of ultraviolet light exposure.

9. The golf ball of claim 1 , wherein the composition further comprises at least one density-adjusting filler.

10. A golf ball comprising:

a core;

a layer disposed about the core to create an inner ball; and

a cover cast onto the inner ball, wherein the cover comprises a light stable polyurea material comprising:

a prepolymer comprising at least one isocyanate and at least one amine-terminated compound selected from the group consisting of amine-terminated hydrocarbons, amine-terminated polyethers, amine-terminated polyesters, amine-terminated polycaprolactones, amine-terminated polycarbonates, amine-terminated polyamides, and mixtures thereof; and

at least one curing agent comprising a hydroxy-terminated curing agent, an amine-terminated curing agent, or a mixture thereof.

11. The golf ball of claim 10 , wherein the light stable polyurea material consists of linkages having the general formula:

wherein x is the chain length, i.e., about 1 or greater, and wherein R and R 1 comprise straight chain or branched hydrocarbon chains having about 1 to about 20 carbons.

12. The golf ball of claim 10 , wherein the amine-terminated compound comprises primary amines, secondary amines, triamines, or combinations thereof.

13. The golf ball of claim 10 , wherein the cover has a thickness of about 0.02 inches to about 0.035 inches.

14. The golf ball of claim 10 , wherein the layer has a first Shore D hardness and the cover has a second Shore D hardness, and wherein the ratio of second Shore D hardness to the first Shore D hardness is about 0.7 or less.

15. The golf ball of claim 10 , wherein the core has a diameter of about 1.55 or greater.

16. The golf ball of claim 10 , wherein the layer comprises at least one thermoplastic or thermoset non-ionomeric material.

17. The golf ball of claim 10 , wherein the inner ball further comprises a moisture barrier layer.

18. The golf ball of claim 10 , wherein the inner ball is surface treated.

19. A golf ball comprising:

a core;

an intermediate layer having a hardness of about 60 Shore D or greater; and

a cover formed of a polyurea material comprising at least one isocyanate and at least one amine-terminated compound selected from the group consisting of amine-terminated hydrocarbons, amine-terminated polyethers, amine-terminated polyesters, amine-terminated polycaprolactones, amine-terminated polycarbonates, amine-terminated polyamides, and mixtures thereof, wherein the cover has a hardness of about 30 Shore D to about 60 Shore D, and

wherein the golf ball has a COR of about 0.800 or greater.

20. The golf ball of claim 19 , wherein the polyurea material consists of linkages having the general formula:

wherein x is the chain length, i.e., about 1 or greater, and wherein R and R 1 comprise straight chain or branched hydrocarbon chains having about 1 to about 20 carbons.

21. The golf ball of claim 19 , wherein the polyurea material further comprises a curing agent selected from the group consisting of a hydroxy-terminated curing agent, an amine-terminated curing agent, and mixtures thereof.

22. The golf ball of claim 19 , wherein the ratio of the cover hardness to the intermediate layer hardness is about 0.7 or less.

23. The golf ball of claim 19 , wherein the cover has a thickness of about 0.2 inches to about 0.035 inches.

24. The golf ball of claim 19 , wherein the intermediate layer comprises an ionomeric material.

25. The golf ball of claim 19 , wherein the intermediate layer comprises a thermoset non-ionomeric material, a thermoplastic non-ionomeric material, or mixtures thereof.