Golf ball compositions neutralized with ammonium-based and amine-based compounds
View Patent ↗The present invention is directed to a golf ball and to a process for forming a golf ball having at least one layer, where the layer is formed of an ionomer composition having greater than about 70 percent of the acid groups neutralized by a neutralizing component including ammonium salts, monoamine salts, or a combination thereof.
1. A golf ball comprising at least one layer having a composition comprising:
a thermoplastic resin component having an acid group and a neutralizing component selected from the group consisting of primary, secondary, or tertiary ammonium-based compounds wherein the acid group is highly neutralized, and wherein the thermoplastic resin component is a copolymer of ethylene and acrylic acid or methacrylic acid.
2. The golf ball of claim 1 , wherein the golf ball has a core having an outer diameter of about 1.51 inches or greater.
3. The golf ball of claim 1 , wherein at least about 90 percent or greater of the acid group is neutralized.
4. The golf ball of claim 3 , wherein about 100 percent of the acid functionalized moiety is neutralized.
5. The golf ball of claim 1 , wherein the core comprises an inner core layer and an outer core layer, wherein the inner core layer has a diameter of from about 0.5 inches to about 1.2 inches, and wherein the outer core layer has a thickness from about 0.1 inches to about 0.59 inches.
6. The golf ball of claim 2 , wherein the golf ball has an intermediate layer and a cover, wherein the intermediate layer is from about 0.01 to about 0.1 inches thick and the cover is about 0.07 inches thick or less.
7. The golf ball of claim 6 , wherein at least about 90 percent or greater of the acid group is neutralized.
8. The golf ball of claim 7 , wherein about 100 percent of the acid group is neutralized.
9. The golf ball of claim 5 , wherein the golf ball has an intermediate layer and a cover, wherein the intermediate layer is from about 0.01 to about 0.1 inches thick and the cover is about 0.07 inches thick or less.
10. The golf ball of claim 1 , wherein about 10 percent or greater of the acid group is neutralized by the neutralizing component.
11. The golf ball of claim 10 , wherein the acid group also is at least partially neutralized with a metal ion.
12. The golf ball of claim 1 , wherein the composition is blended with a polymer.
13. The golf ball of claim 12 , wherein the polymer comprises saponified polymers, graft copolymers of saponified polymers, oxa esters and oxa acids, block copolymers of a poly(ether-ester), block copolymers of a poly(ether-amide), styrene-butadiene-styrene block copolymers, styrene-(ethylene-propylene)-styrene or styrene-(ethylene-butylene)-styrene block copolymers, olefinic copolymers, metallocene catalyzed polymers, ethylene-alpha olefin copolymers, terpolymers made from metallocene catalysts, block poly(urethane-ester) or block poly(urethane-ether) or block poly(urethane-caprolactone), polyethylene glycol, polycaprolactone, polycaprolactam, polyesters, polyamides, ethylene-propylene-(diene monomer) terpolymers and their sulfonated or carboxylated derivatives, PP/EPDM, dynamically vulcanized rubbers, or mixtures thereof.
14. The golf ball of claim 12 , wherein the composition forms about 25% or greater of the blended composition and polymer.
15. The golf ball of claim 14 , wherein the composition forms about 50% or greater of the blended composition and polymer.
16. The golf ball of claim 15 , wherein the composition forms about 75% or greater of the blended composition and polymer.
17. The golf ball of claim 12 , wherein the polymer is thermoplastic.
18. The golf ball of claim 10 , wherein about 30 percent or greater of the acid group is neutralized by the neutralizing component.
19. The golf ball of claim 18 , wherein about 50 percent or greater of the acid group is neutralized by the neutralizing component.
20. The golf ball of claim 19 , wherein about 80 percent or greater of the acid group is neutralized by the neutralizing component.
21. The golf ball of claim 20 , wherein about 90 percent or greater of the acid group is neutralized by the neutralizing component.
22. The golf ball of claim 1 , wherein at least about 80 percent or greater of the acid group is neutralized.
23. A golf ball comprising a core and a cover, wherein at least one of the core and the cover is formed of a composition comprising:
a thermoplastic resin component having an acid group, wherein the thermoplastic resin component is a copolymer of ethylene and acrylic acid or methacrylic acid; and
a neutralizing component comprising an ammonium salt, wherein acid group is neutralized about 90 percent or greater.
24. The golf ball of claim 23 , wherein about 100 percent of the acid group is neutralized.
25. The golf ball of claim 23 , wherein the ammonium salt comprises at least one quaternary ammonium compound.
26. The golf ball of claim 25 , wherein the at least one quaternary ammonium compound comprises tetraalkylammonium hydroxides.
27. The golf ball of claim 26 , wherein the quaternary ammonium compound comprises tetramethylammonium hydroxide.
28. The golf ball of claim 23 , wherein the neutralizing component comprises ammonium hydroxide.
29. The golf ball of claim 23 , wherein the acid group is present in an amount of about 5 percent to about 35 percent by weight of the thermoplastic resin component.
30. The golf ball of claim 23 , wherein the acid group is present in an amount of about 8 percent to about 25 percent by weight of the thermoplastic resin component.
31. A golf ball comprising:
a core;
a cover; and
an intermediate layer disposed between the core and the cover, wherein the intermediate layer comprises:
a thermoplastic resin component having an acid group, wherein the thermoplastic resin component is a copolymer of ethylene and acrylic acid or methacrylic acid; and
a neutralizing component selected from the group consisting of primary, secondary, or tertiary ammonium-based compounds, an ammonium salt, and mixtures thereof, wherein the acid group is neutralized to an amount of about 90 percent or greater.
32. The golf ball of claim 31 , wherein the acid group is about 100 percent neutralized.
33. The golf ball of claim 31 , wherein the intermediate layer has a flexural modulus of about 5,000 psi to about 100,000 psi.
34. The golf ball of claim 31 , wherein the intermediate layer has a flexural modulus of about 25,000 psi to about 75,000 psi.
35. The golf ball of claim 31 , wherein the intermediate layer has a hardness of about 30 Shore D to about 70 Shore D.
36. The golf ball of claim 31 , wherein the cover comprises a polyurethane, a polyurea, or a mixture thereof.
37. The golf ball of claim 31 , wherein the cover comprises a thermoplastic material.