Golf ball compositions containing oxa esters
View Patent ↗A golf ball and process for forming a golf ball having at least one layer, where the layer is formed of a polymer blend comprising a thermoplastic component having a flexural modulus of about 60,000 psi or greater and at least one oxa ester, oxa acid, or a combination thereof. The thermoplastic component may be a high acid acid ionomer or a saponified ionomer.
1. A golf ball having at least one layer, wherein the layer is formed of a polymer blend comprising:
at least one ionomer comprising at least one α-olefin and at least one α, β-unsaturated carboxylic acid, wherein at least a portion of the acid groups are neutralized with at least one metal atom; and
at least one oxa ester.
2. The golf ball of claim 1 , wherein the ionomer comprises about 16 percent to about 35 percent by weight of the at least one α, β-unsaturated carboxylic acid.
3. The golf ball of claim 1 , wherein the golf ball has an Atti compression of at least 50 and a coefficient of restitution of at least 0.7.
4. The golf ball of claim 1 , wherein the layer has a hardness of at least about 15 Shore A, a flexural modulus of at least about 500 psi, and a specific gravity of at least about 0.7.
5. The golf ball of claim 1 , wherein the layer further comprises at least one density adjusting filler.
6. The golf ball of claim 5 , wherein the density adjusting filler is a metallic powder, a metallic oxide derivative, or a combination thereof.
7. The golf ball of claim 6 , wherein the density adjusting filler comprises titanium, tungsten, tin, copper, or a combination thereof.
8. The golf ball of claim 1 , wherein the golf ball comprises a cover formed of a thermoplastic polyurethane, a thermoset polyurethane, a urethane ionomer, a urethane epoxy, or a combination thereof.
9. The golf ball of claim 8 , wherein the cover is formed of a thermoplastic polyurethane, a thermoset polyurethane, or a combination thereof.
10. The golf ball of claim 9 , wherein the cover has a hardness of about 40 Shore D to about 70 Shore D and a flexural modulus of about 10,000 psi to about 100,000 psi.
11. A golf ball having at least one layer, wherein the layer is formed of a polymer blend comprising:
at least one acid-containing copolymer ionomer component comprising E/X/Y copolymers, wherein E is ethylene, X is a softening comonomer, and Y is acrylic or methacrylic acid, and
at least one oxa ester.
12. The golf ball of claim 11 , wherein the layer is disposed between a core and a cover.
13. The golf ball of claim 12 , wherein the layer has a thickness of about 0.02 inches or greater.
14. The golf ball of claim 12 , wherein the cover comprises a thermoplastic polyurethane, a thermoset polyurethane, or a combination thereof.
15. The golf ball of claim 12 , wherein the cover has a hardness of about 40 Shore D to about 70 Shore D and a flexural modulus of about 10,000 psi to about 100,000 psi.
16. The golf ball of claim 11 , wherein the layer further comprises at least one density adjusting filler.
17. The golf ball of claim 12 , wherein the core comprises polybutadiene.
18. A golf ball having at least one layer, wherein the layer is formed of a polymer blend comprising:
at least one saponified ionomer; and
at least one oxa ester.
19. The golf ball of claim 18 , wherein the layer is disposed between a core and a cover.
20. The golf ball of claim 19 , wherein the cover comprises a thermoplastic polyurethane, a thermoset polyurethane, or a combination thereof.
21. The golf ball of claim 19 , wherein the core comprises cis-polybutadiene.
22. The golf ball of claim 19 , wherein the layer has a hardness of about 20 Shore D to about 70 Shore D.