Golf ball with vapor barrier layer and method of making same

1. A golf ball comprising a core, a barrier layer enveloping the core, and a cover enveloping the barrier layer, wherein the barrier layer has a moisture vapor transmission rate less than that of the cover, and the barrier layer comprises a thermoplastic or thermoset composition of microparticles dispersed in a binder comprising synthetic rubbers, natural rubbers, polyolefins, styrenic polymers, or single-site catalyzed polymers, and the microparticles comprise fibers; whiskers; metal flakes; micaceous particles; or nanoparticles.

2. The golf ball of claim 1 , wherein the microparticles are present in an amount of about 50 parts to about 250 parts per 100 parts by weight of the binder.

3. The golf ball of claim 1 , wherein the composition has a particle-to-binder weight ratio of about 1 to about 2.

4. The golf ball of claim 1 , wherein the barrier layer has a thickness of about 0.001 inches to about 0.01 inches.

5. The golf ball of claim 1 , wherein the barrier layer has a thickness of about 0.002 inches to about 0.007 inches.

6. The golf ball of claim 1 , wherein the barrier layer has a Sward hardness of about 5 to about 20.

7. The golf ball of claim 1 , wherein the barrier layer has a pencil hardness of about 5B to about F.

8. The golf ball of claim 1 , wherein the binder comprises one or more of styrene-olefin block copolymers, poly(styrene-co-maleic anhydride)s, acrylonitrile-butylene-styrene copolymers, poly(styrene sulfonate)s, polystyrenes, styrene-butadiene copolymers, acrylics, grafted or non-grafted metallocene-catalyzed polyolefins, balata, polyethylenes, chlorinated polyethylenes, polypropylenes, polybutylenes, butyl-based rubbers, isoprene rubbers, trans polyisoprenes, neoprenes, ethylene-propylene rubbers, ethylene-butylene rubbers, or ethylene-propylene-(non-conjugated diene) terpolymers.

9. The golf ball of claim 1 , wherein the binder comprises at least one styrene-olefin block copolymer.

10. The golf ball of claim 1 , wherein the microparticles comprise leafing or non-leafing flakes of aluminum, iron oxide, copper, or bronze.

11. The golf ball of claim 1 , wherein the microparticles comprise leafing flakes of aluminum oxide.

12. The golf ball of claim 1 , wherein the composition further comprises one or more of polymeric polyahls, compatibilizers, coupling agents, cross-linking agents, polyolefin polyols, tertiary amines, or silanes.

13. The golf ball of claim 12 , wherein the composition comprises a polyolefin comprising at least one hydrogenated polybutadiene polyol.

14. The golf ball of claim 12 , wherein the composition comprises at least one coupling agent that bonds the barrier layer to the cover.

15. The golf ball of claim 1 , wherein the composition is dispersed in a non-aqueous solvent system comprising aromatic hydrocarbons, ketones, acetates, alcohols, or esters prior to forming the barrier layer.

16. The golf ball of claim 15 , wherein the solvent-borne dispersion has a solid content of at least about 30%.

17. The golf ball of claim 15 , wherein the solvent-borne dispersion has a viscosity of about 700 cps to about 900 cps.

18. The golf ball of claim 1 , wherein the barrier layer is formed by spraying and/or dipping.

19. A golf ball comprising a core, a barrier layer enveloping the core, and a cover enveloping the barrier layer, wherein the barrier layer has a moisture vapor transmission rate less than that of the cover, and the barrier layer comprises a thermoplastic or thermoset composition of microparticles dispersed in a binder comprising synthetic rubbers, natural rubbers, polyolefins, styrenic polymers, or single-site catalyzed polymers, and the microparticles have a particle size of about 4 microns to about 335 microns.

20. The golf ball of claim 19 , wherein the microparticles comprises leafing metal flakes.

21. The golf ball of claim 19 , wherein the barrier layer has a thickness of about 0.001 inches to about 0.01 inches.

22. The golf ball of claim 21 , wherein the barrier layer has a thickness of about 0.002 inches to about 0.007 inches.

23. The golf ball of claim 19 , wherein the particle size is about 8 microns to about 50 microns.

24. The golf ball of claim 19 , wherein the composition has a particle-to-binder ratio of about 0.5 to about 2.5.

25. A golf ball comprising a core, a barrier layer enveloping the core, and a cover enveloping the barrier layer, wherein the barrier layer comprises a thermoplastic or thermoset composition of microparticles dispersed in a binder comprising synthetic rubbers, natural rubbers, polyolefins, styrenic polymers, or single-site catalyzed polymers, and the barrier layer has a moisture vapor transmission rate of less than about 0.95 grams·mm/(m 2 ·day) and less than that of the cover.

26. The golf ball of claim 25 , wherein the barrier layer has a moisture vapor transmission rate of less than about 0.65 grams·mm/(m 2 ·day).

27. A golf ball comprising a core, a barrier layer enveloping the core, and a cover enveloping the barrier layer, wherein:

the barrier layer has a moisture vapor transmission rate less than that of the cover; and

the barrier layer comprises aluminum flakes comprising aluminum oxide.

28. The golf ball of claim 27 , wherein the barrier layer further comprises a styrene-olefin block polymer, a polyolefin polyol, a tertiary amine, and a silane, and wherein the flakes are leafing flakes.

29. The golf ball of claim 27 , wherein the composition has a particle-to-binder ratio of about 0.5 to about 2.5.

30. A golf ball comprising:

a core having a diameter of at least about 1.62 inches;

a barrier layer of less than about 0.02 inches thick enveloping the core, wherein the barrier layer comprises a thermoplastic or thermoset composition of microparticles dispersed in a binder; and

a cover of less than 0.03 inches thick enveloping the barrier layer, wherein the barrier layer has a moisture vapor transmission rate less than that of the cover.

31. The golf ball of claim 30 , wherein the microparticles comprise aluminum flakes comprising aluminum oxide, and the binder comprises at least one styrenic polymer.

32. The golf ball of claim 30 , wherein the composition further comprises a cross-linking agent, a catalyst, or a coupling agent.

33. The golf ball of claim 30 , wherein the composition is dispersed in a non-aqueous solvent system comprising aromatic hydrocarbons, ketones, acetates, alcohols, or esters.

34. The golf ball of claim 30 , wherein the composition has a particle-to-binder weight ratio of about 0.5 to about 2.5.

35. The golf ball of claim 30 , wherein the barrier layer has a moisture vapor transmission rate of less than about 0.95 grams·mm/(m 2 ·day).

36. The golf ball of claim 30 , wherein the thickness of the barrier layer is about 0.002 inches to about 0.007 inches.

37. The golf ball of claim 30 , wherein the core has:

a diameter of about 1.62 inches to about 1.64 inches;

a compression of less than about 100;

a deflection at 100 kg of greater than about 1.5 mm;

a coefficient of restitution of greater than about 0.78;

a specific gravity of less than about 1.4 g/cm 3 ; and

a peripheral hardness greater than a central hardness by about 5 Shore C.

38. The golf ball of claim 30 , wherein the core comprises:

a polybutadiene having a Mooney viscosity of greater than about 35;

a crosslinking agent in an amount of greater than about 15 parts per 100 parts by weight of the polybutadiene; and

an optional plasticizer.

39. The golf ball of claim 30 , wherein the core comprises:

a center having a diameter of about 0.5 inches to about 1.6 inches, a compression of about 50 to about 300, a deflection at 100 kg of greater than about 1.5 mm; and

an outer core layer enveloping the center.

40. The golf ball of claim 39 , wherein the center comprises:

a polybutadiene having a Mooney viscosity of greater than about 35;

a crosslinking agent in an amount of about 15 part to about 40 parts per 100 parts by weight of the polybutadiene;

a regrind or filler; and

an optional plasticizer.

41. The golf ball of claim 39 , wherein the outer core layer comprises:

a polybutadiene having a Mooney viscosity of greater than about 35;

a crosslinking agent in an amount of about 25 part to about 55 parts per 100 parts by weight of the polybutadiene;

a regrind, polyisoprene, or filler; and

an optional plasticizer, wherein the outer core layer has a material hardness of greater than about 60 Shore C.

42. The golf ball of claim 30 , wherein the cover has an outermost surface occupied by about 250 to about 450 dimples, and comprises:

a composition formed from a thermoplastic polyurethane, a thermoset polyurethane, a thermoplastic polyurea, or a thermoset polyurea; and

the composition having a material hardness of about 25 Shore D to about 65 Shore D and a flexural modulus of at least about 2,000 psi.

43. The golf ball of claim 30 , wherein the golf ball has:

a compression of less than about 110;

a coefficient of restitution greater than about 0.79;

a moment of inertia greater than about 84 g·cm 2 ; and

a deflection at 100 kg of greater than about 1.5 mm.

44. A golf ball comprising a core, a barrier layer enveloping the core, and a cover enveloping the barrier layer, wherein the barrier layer has a moisture vapor transmission rate less than that of the cover, and the barrier layer comprises a thermoplastic or thermoset composition of microparticles dispersed in a binder comprising synthetic rubbers, natural rubbers, polyolefins, styrenic polymers, or single-site catalyzed polymers, wherein the barrier layer has a thickness of about 0.001 inches to 0.01 inches.

45. The golf ball of claim 44 , wherein the barrier layer has a thickness of about 0.002 inches to about 0.007 inches.

46. The golf ball of claim 44 , wherein the composition has a particle-to-binder ratio of about 0.5 to about 2.5.

47. A golf ball comprising a core, a barrier layer enveloping the core, and a cover enveloping the barrier layer, wherein the barrier layer has a moisture vapor transmission rate less than that of the cover, and the barrier layer comprises a thermoplastic or thermoset composition of microparticles dispersed in a binder comprising synthetic rubbers, natural rubbers, polyolefins, styrenic polymers, or single-site catalyzed polymers, and a difference in specific gravity between the core and the barrier layer is at least 0.1 g/cm 3 .

48. The golf ball of claim 47 , wherein the barrier layer has a specific gravity of about 1.2 g/cm 3 to about 1.5 g/cm 3 .