GOLF BALL COVERS MADE FROM POLYUREAS BASED ON POLYCAPROLACTONES
A golf ball having a cover material made from a polyurea composition is provided. In one version, the golf ball includes a polybutadiene core and surrounding cover layer made of a polyurea composition. In another version, the golf ball includes a polybutadiene core, an intermediate casing layer made of ionomer resin, and an outer cover layer made of the polyurea composition. The polyurea composition is the reaction product of an isocyanate, amine-terminated polycaprolactone, and amine-terminated curing agent. The resulting cover material has many advantageous properties including improved durability, toughness, abrasion-resistance, and moisture-resistance.
1 . A golf ball, comprising:
a core; and
a polyurea cover material produced by a reaction of ingredients comprising isocyanate, amine-terminated polycaprolactone, and amine-terminated cross-linking agent.
2 . The golf ball of claim 1 , wherein the core comprises polybutadiene.
3 . The golf ball of claim 1 , wherein the isocyanate is selected from the group consisting of MDI, H 12 MDI, PPDI, TDI, IPDI, HDI, NDI, XDI, TMXDI, THDI, and TMDI, and homopolymers and copolymers and mixtures thereof.
4 . The golf ball of claim 1 , wherein the curing agent is an amine-terminated curing agent selected from the group consisting of 4,4′-diamino-diphenylmethane; 3,5-diethyl-(2,4- or 2,6-) toluenediamine; 3,5-dimethylthio-(2,4- or 2,6-)toluenediamine; 3,5-diethylthio-(2,4- or 2,6-) toluenediamine: 2,2′-dichloro-3,3′,5,5′-tetraethyl-4,4′-diamino-diphenylmethane; polytetramethyleneglycol-di(p-aminobenzoate); 4,4′-bis(sec-butylamino)-dicyclohexylmethane;
and mixtures thereof.
5 . The golf ball of claim 1 , wherein the polyurea cover material further comprises pigments and fillers.
6 . The golf ball of claim 1 , wherein the core has a diameter of about 1.26 to about 1.60 inches.
7 . The golf ball of claim 1 , wherein the cover has a thickness of about 0.015 to about 0.090 inches.
8 . The golf ball of claim 7 , wherein the cover has a thickness of about 0.020 to about 0.050 inches.
9 . The golf ball of claim 8 , wherein the cover has a thickness of about 0.020 to about 0.035 inches.
10 . The golf ball of claim 1 , wherein the core has a hardness in the range of about 30 to about 65 Shore D.
11 . The golf ball of claim 1 , wherein the cover has a material hardness of about 30 to about 65 Shore D.
12 . The golf ball of claim 11 , wherein the cover has a material hardness of about 35 to about 55 Shore D.
13 . A golf ball, comprising:
a core;
an intermediate casing layer overlying the core; and
a polyurea cover material produced by a reaction of ingredients comprising isocyanate, amine-terminated polycaprolactone, and amine-terminated cross-linking agent, the cover material overlying the casing layer.
14 . The golf ball of claim 13 , wherein the core comprises polybutadiene.
15 . The golf ball of claim 13 , wherein the casing layer comprises ionomeric resin.
16 . The golf ball of claim 13 , wherein the casing layer comprises a blend of ionomeric resin and non-ionomeric resin.
17 . The golf ball of claim 13 , wherein the isocyanate is selected from the group consisting of MDI, H 12 MDI, PPDI, TDI, IPDI, HDI, NDI, XDI, TMXDI, THDI, and TMDI, and homopolymers and copolymers and mixtures thereof.
18 . The golf ball of claim 13 , wherein the curing agent is an amine-terminated curing agent selected from the group consisting of 4,4′-diamino-diphenylmethane; 3,5-diethyl-(2,4- or 2,6-) toluenediamine; 3,5-dimethylthio-(2,4- or 2,6-)toluenediamine; 3,5-diethylthio-(2,4- or 2,6-) toluenediamine: 2,2′-dichloro-3,3′,5,5′-tetraethyl-4,4′-diamino-diphenylmethane; polytetramethyleneglycol-di(p-aminobenzoate); 4,4′-bis(sec-butylamino)-dicyclohexylmethane; and mixtures thereof.
19 . The golf ball of claim 13 , wherein the polyurea cover material further comprises pigments and fillers.
20 . The golf ball of claim 13 , wherein the core has a diameter of about 1.26 to about 1.60 inches.
21 . The golf ball of claim 13 , wherein the intermediate casing layer has a thickness of about 0.015 to about 0.120 inches.
22 . The golf ball of claim 21 , wherein the intermediate casing layer has a thickness of about 0.020 to about 0.060 inches.
23 . The golf ball of claim 13 , wherein the cover has a thickness of about 0.015 to about 0.090 inches.
24 . The golf ball of claim 23 , wherein the cover has a thickness of about 0.020 to about 0.050 inches.
25 . The golf ball of claim 23 , wherein the cover has a thickness of about 0.020 to about 0.035 inches.