Catalyst compositions comprising chain shuttling agents and the use thereof to produce golf ball compositions

1. A golf ball having at least one layer formed from a composition comprising a multi-block copolymer, wherein the multi-block copolymer is produced by a process comprising:

contacting ethylene under addition polymerization conditions with a catalyst composition, the catalyst composition comprising the admixture or reaction product resulting from combining:

(A) a first olefin polymerization catalyst,

(B) a second olefin polymerization catalyst capable of preparing polymers differing in chemical or physical properties from the polymer prepared by the first olefin polymerization catalyst under equivalent polymerization conditions, and

(C) a chain shuttling agent,

wherein at least one of the first olefin polymerization catalyst or the second olefin polymerization catalyst is capable of forming a branched polymer by means of chain walking or reincorporation of in situ formed olefinic polymer chains.

2. The golf ball of claim 1 , wherein the composition is a blend comprising the multi-block copolymer and a non-ionomeric polymer selected from the group consisting of polyamides, polyurethanes, polyureas, polycarbonates, polyesters, polyacrylates, and engineering thermoplastics.

3. The golf ball of claim 2 , wherein the non-ionomeric polymer is a polyamide.

4. The golf ball of claim 1 , wherein the composition is a blend comprising the multi-block copolymer and an additional polymer selected from acid polymers, partially neutralized acid polymers, and highly neutralized acid polymers.

5. The golf ball of claim 4 , wherein the additional polymer is a partially or highly neutralized acid polymer and wherein the blend has a Shore D hardness of from 30 to 80, a flexural modulus of from 10 to 100 kpsi, a neat sphere compression of from 30 to 100, and a coefficient of restitution of from 0.650 to 0.850.

6. The golf ball of claim 1 , wherein the golf ball is a multi-layer ball comprising a compression molded rubber core, one or more injection or compression molded intermediate layer(s), and a polyurethane or polyurea outer cover layer, wherein at least one of the intermediate layer(s) is formed from the composition comprising the multi-block copolymer.

7. A golf ball having at least one layer formed from a composition comprising a multi-block copolymer, wherein the multi-block copolymer is produced by a process comprising:

contacting a first monomer selected from the group consisting of propylene and 4-methyl-1-pentene, and one or more addition polymerizable comonomers other than the first monomer, under addition polymerization conditions with a catalyst composition, the catalyst composition comprising the admixture or reaction product resulting from combining:

(A) a first olefin polymerization catalyst,

(B) a second olefin polymerization catalyst capable of preparing polymers differing in chemical or physical properties from the polymer prepared by the first olefin polymerization catalyst under equivalent polymerization conditions, and

(C) a chain shuttling agent.

8. The golf ball of claim 7 , wherein the composition is a blend comprising the multi-block copolymer and a non-ionomeric polymer selected from the group consisting of polyamides, polyurethanes, polyureas, polycarbonates, polyesters, polyacrylates, and engineering thermoplastics.

9. The golf ball of claim 8 , wherein the non-ionomeric polymer is a polyamide.

10. The golf ball of claim 7 , wherein the composition is a blend comprising the multi-block copolymer and an additional polymer selected from acid polymers, partially neutralized acid polymers, and highly neutralized acid polymers.

11. The golf ball of claim 10 , wherein the additional polymer is a partially or highly neutralized acid polymer and wherein the blend has a Shore D hardness of from 30 to 80, a flexural modulus of from 10 to 100 kpsi, a neat sphere compression of from 30 to 100, and a coefficient of restitution of from 0.650 to 0.850.

12. The golf ball of claim 7 , wherein the golf ball is a multi-layer ball comprising a compression molded rubber core, one or more injection or compression molded intermediate layer(s), and a polyurethane or polyurea outer cover layer, wherein at least one of the intermediate layer(s) is formed from the composition comprising the multi-block copolymer.

13. A golf ball having at least one layer formed from a composition comprising a multi-block copolymer selected from the group consisting of maleic anhydride grafted ethylene-butene multi-block copolymers and maleic anhydride grafted ethylene-octene multi-block copolymers, wherein the multi-block copolymer is produced by a process comprising:

contacting one or more addition polymerizable monomers under addition polymerization conditions with a catalyst composition, the catalyst composition comprising the admixture or reaction product resulting from combining:

(A) a first olefin polymerization catalyst,

(B) a second olefin polymerization catalyst capable of preparing polymers differing in chemical or physical properties from the polymer prepared by the first olefin polymerization catalyst under equivalent polymerization conditions, and

(C) a chain shuttling agent.

14. The golf ball of claim 13 , wherein the composition is a blend comprising the multi-block copolymer and a non-ionomeric polymer selected from the group consisting of polyamides, polyurethanes, polyureas, polycarbonates, polyesters, polyacrylates, and engineering thermoplastics.

15. The golf ball of claim 14 , wherein the non-ionomeric polymer is a polyamide.

16. The golf ball of claim 13 , wherein the composition is a blend comprising the multi-block copolymer and an additional polymer selected from acid polymers, partially neutralized acid polymers, and highly neutralized polymers.

17. The golf ball of claim 16 , wherein the additional polymer is a partially or highly neutralized acid polymer and wherein the blend has a Shore D hardness of from 30 to 80, a flexural modulus of from 10 to 100 kpsi, a neat sphere compression of from 30 to 100, and a coefficient of restitution of from 0.650 to 0.850.

18. The golf ball of claim 13 , wherein the golf ball is a multi-layer ball comprising a compression molded rubber core, one or more injection or compression molded intermediate layer(s), and a polyurethane or polyurea outer cover layer, wherein at least one of the intermediate layer(s) is formed from the composition comprising the multi-block copolymer.