Nano-particulate compositions for decreasing the water vapor transmission rate of golf ball layers
View Patent ↗A golf ball including a core; a cover having a first water vapor transmission rate; and a vapor barrier layer disposed between the core and the cover, the barrier layer being formed from a polymer including a nano-material having an average particle size of 100 nm or less; wherein the nano-material creates a tortuous path across the barrier layer such that the barrier layer has a second water vapor transmission rate less than the first.
1. A golf ball comprising:
a core;
a cover having a first water vapor transmission rate; and
a vapor barrier layer disposed between the core and the cover, the barrier layer being formed from a polymer comprising a nano-material having an average particle size of 100 nm or less;
wherein the nano-material creates a tortuous path across the barrier layer such that the barrier layer has a second water vapor transmission rate less than the first and the nano-material is selected from the group consisting of smectite minerals; carbon nanotubes; fullerenes; single-wall and multi-wall carbon nanotubes; polymer nanofibers; carbon nanofibrils; nitrides; carbides; sulfides; ormocers; glass ionomers; resin-modified glass ionomers; silicon ionomers; polymerizable cements; metal-oxide polymer composites; lipid-based nanotubules, polyhedral oligomeric silsequioxanes and platelet materials.
2. The golf ball of claim 1 , wherein the second water vapor transmission rate is 0.45 (g·mm)/(m 2 ·day) or less.
3. The golf ball of claim 2 , wherein the second water vapor transmission rate is 0.25 (g·mm)/(m 2 ·day) or less.
4. The golf ball of claim 1 , wherein the polymer comprises ionomeric copolymers and terpolymers, ionomer precursors, thermoplastics, thermoplastic elastomers, polybutadiene rubber, balata, grafted metallocene-catalyzed polymers, non-grafted metallocene-catalyzed polymers, single-site polymers, high-crystalline acid polymers and their ionomers, cationic ionomers, anionic ionomers, polyurethanes, or polyureas.
5. The golf ball of claim 1 , wherein the nano-materials are chemically-modified.
6. The golf ball of claim 1 , wherein the core has an outer diameter of 1.5 inches to 1.6 inches.
7. The golf ball of claim 6 , wherein the core comprises a solid center having an outer diameter of 0.5 inches to 1.25 inches, and an outer core layer.
8. The golf ball of claim 1 , wherein the core comprises a rubber-based polymer or a polymer comprising an acid group fully-neutralized by a salt of an organic acid, a cation source, or a suitable base of the organic acid.
9. The golf ball of claim 1 , wherein the cover layer comprises a polyurethane, a polyurea, a polyurea-urethane, or a polyurethane-urea.
10. The golf ball of claim 1 , wherein the cover layer comprises the nano-materials and has a water vapor transmission rate of 0.45 (g·mm)/(m 2 ·day) or less.
11. The golf ball of claim 1 , wherein the cover layer has a thickness of 0.005 inches to 0.05 inches.
12. The golf ball of claim 1 , wherein the cover layer is fully saturated.
13. A golf ball comprising:
a rubber-based core having an outer diameter of 1.5 inches to 1.55 inches;
a cover layer comprising a polyurethane or a polyurea and having a first water vapor transmission rate; and
a vapor barrier layer disposed between the core and the cover, the barrier layer being formed from a polymer comprising a nano-material having an average particle size of 100 nm or less;
wherein the nano-materials create a tortuous path across the barrier layer such that the barrier layer has a second water vapor transmission rate less than the first; and are selected from the group consisting of smectite minerals; carbon nanotubes; fullerenes; single-wall and multi-wall carbon nanotubes; polymer nanofibers; carbon nanofibrils; nitrides; carbides; sulfides; ormocers; glass ionomers; resin-modified glass ionomers; silicon ionomers; polymerizable cements; metal-oxide polymer composites; lipid-based nanotubules, platelet materials, and polyhedral oligomeric silsequioxanes.
14. The golf ball of claim 13 , wherein the cover layer is fully saturated.
15. The golf ball of claim 13 , wherein the barrier layer comprises a polymer selected from the group consisting of ionomeric copolymers and terpolymers, ionomer precursors, thermoplastics, thermoplastic elastomers, polybutadiene rubber, balata, grafted metallocene-catalyzed polymers, non-grafted metallocene-catalyzed polymers, single-site polymers, high-crystalline acid polymers and their ionomers, cationic ionomers, anionic ionomers, polyurethanes, or polyureas.
16. The golf ball of claim 13 , wherein the vapor barrier layer polymer comprises a an acid group, a salt of an organic acid, and sufficient cation source to fully-neutralize the acid group.
17. A golf ball comprising:
a core;
a cover layer comprising a polyurethane or a polyurea and having a first water vapor transmission rate; and
a vapor barrier layer disposed between the core and the cover, the barrier layer being formed from a polymer comprising a nano-material having an average particle size of 100 nm or less;
wherein the nano-materials create a tortuous path across the barrier layer such that the barrier layer has a second water vapor transmission rate less than the first; and comprise a swellable layered material selected from the group consisting of phyllosilicates, montmorillonite, sodium montmorillonite; magnesium montmorillonite; calcium montmorillonite; nontronite; beidellite; volkonskoite; hectorite; saponite; sauconite; sobockite; stevensite; svinfordite; and vermiculite.
18. The golf ball of claim 17 , wherein the phyllosilicates have a negative charge ranging from about 0.15 to about 0.9 charges per formula unit and a commensurate number of exchangeable metal cations.
19. The golf ball of claim 17 , wherein at least one of the core or the vapor barrier layer comprises a polymer comprising an acid group, a salt of an organic acid, and sufficient cation source to fully-neutralize the acid group.