Golf ball compositions with improved temperature performance, heat resistance, and resiliency
View Patent ↗Golf ball compositions, and components formed therefrom, including trifunctional materials, such as trifunctional isocyanates, polyols, and amines, that have improved performance and durability characteristics, e.g., improved heat resistance, improved resiliency, and dimensional stability.
1. A golf ball comprising at least one layer formed from a composition comprising:
a polyurea prepolymer comprising the reaction product of an isocyanurate trimer and an amine-terminated component; and
at least one trifunctional curing agent selected from the group consisting of ethylene oxide-based triamines, propylene oxide-based triamines, trimethylolpropane-based triamines, N-(2-aminoethyl)-1,3-propylene diamines, and mixtures thereof,
wherein the coefficient of restitution changes by about 5 percent or less with a corresponding temperature decrease of 15° F. or more, and wherein the composition has an average molecular weight between crosslinks of about 3000 or greater.
2. The golf ball of claim 1 , wherein the coefficient of restitution changes by about 3 percent or less with a corresponding temperature decrease of about 45° F. or more.
3. The golf ball of claim 1 , wherein the coefficient of restitution has no appreciable change with a corresponding temperature decrease of about 60° F. or more.
4. The golf ball of claim 1 , wherein the golf ball comprises a core and a cover, and wherein the cover is formed of the composition.
5. The golf ball of claim 4 , wherein the cover comprises at least two layers.
6. The golf ball of claim 1 , wherein the isocyanurate trimer is selected from the group consisting of an isocyanurate trimer of hexamethylene diisocyanate, an isocyanurate trimer of toluene diisocyanate, an isocyanurate trimer of isophorone diisocyanate, a blend of isophorone diisocyanate and an isocyanurate trimer of isophorone diisocyanate, and mixtures thereof.
7. The golf ball of claim 1 , wherein the curing agent is selected from the group consisting of ethylene oxide-based triamines, propylene oxide-based triamines, and mixtures thereof.
8. The golf ball of claim 1 , wherein the composition is thermoset.
9. The golf ball of claim 1 , wherein the amine-terminated component comprises at least three functional groups, and wherein the amine-terminated component is selected from the group consisting of ethylene oxide-based triamines, propylene oxide-based triamines, trimethylolpropane-based triamines, N-(2-aminoethyl)-1,3-propylene diamines.
10. A golf ball comprising a component formed from a composition comprising:
a polyurea prepolymer comprising the reaction product of an isocyanurate trimer and an amine-terminated component; and
at least one trifunctional curing agent selected from the group consisting of ethylene oxide-based triamines, propylene oxide-based triamines, trimethylolpropane-based triamines, N-(2-aminoethyl)-1,3-propylene diamines, and mixtures thereof,
wherein the component has a COR profile that exhibits an increase as temperature decreases from about 70° F. to about 20° F., and wherein the composition has an average molecular weight between crosslinks of about 3000 or greater.
11. The golf ball component of claim 10 , wherein the COR of the golf ball increases by about 7 percent or more with a corresponding temperature decrease of about 15° F. or greater.
12. The golf ball component of claim 10 , wherein the COR of the golf ball increases by about 15 percent or more with a corresponding temperature decrease of about 30° F. or greater.
13. The golf ball component of claim 10 , wherein the tan δ of the component decreases by about 40 percent or greater when the temperature decreases by about 20° F. or more.
14. The golf ball of claim 10 , wherein the curing agent is selected from the group consisting of ethylene oxide-based triamines, propylene oxide-based triamines, and mixtures thereof.
15. A composition for golf balls comprising:
a polyurea prepolymer comprising an isocyanurate trimer and an amine-terminated compound; and
a trifunctional curing agent selected from the group consisting of ethylene oxide-based triamines, propylene oxide-based triamines, trimethylolpropane-based triamines, N-(2-aminoethyl)-1,3-propylene diamines, and mixtures thereof, and
wherein the composition has an average molecular weight between crosslinks of about 3000 or greater.
16. The chemical composition of claim 15 , wherein the composition has a COR profile that exhibits an increase as temperature decreases from about 70° F. to about 20° F.
17. The chemical composition of claim 15 , wherein the composition has a tan δ profile that exhibits a decrease as temperature decreases from about 70° F. to about 20° F.
18. The golf ball of claim 15 , wherein the curing agent is selected from the group consisting of ethylene oxide-based triamines, propylene oxide-based triamines, and mixtures thereof.