Catalyst compositions comprising chain shuttling agents and the use thereof to produce golf ball compositions
View Patent ↗The present invention is directed to golf balls having at least one layer which comprises a polymer produced by a process wherein one or more monomers are contacted with a composition comprising the admixture or reaction product resulting from combining (A) a first olefin polymerization catalyst, (B) a second olefin polymerization catalyst capable of preparing polymers differing in chemical or physical properties from the polymer prepared by the first olefin polymerization catalyst under equivalent polymerization conditions, and (C) a chain shuttling agent. Golf balls of the present invention include one-piece, two-piece, and multi-layer golf balls. In two-piece and multi-layer golf balls of the present invention, the polymer may be present in a core layer, a cover layer, an intermediate layer (in the case of multi-layer balls), or a combination thereof.
1. A golf ball comprising:
a core having an overall diameter of from 1.30 inches to 1.62 inches and comprising an inner core and an optional outer core;
a cover having a thickness of from 0.02 inches to 0.04 inches; and
a casing layer disposed between the core and the cover and having a thickness of from 0.03 inches to 0.06 inches;
wherein the casing layer is formed from a composition comprising a multi-block copolymer, and wherein the multi-block copolymer is produced by a process comprising contacting ethylene under addition polymerization conditions with a catalyst composition, the catalyst composition comprising the admixture or reaction product resulting from combining:
(A) a first olefin polymerization catalyst,
(B) a second olefin polymerization catalyst capable of preparing polymers differing in chemical or physical properties from the polymer prepared by the first olefin polymerization catalyst under equivalent polymerization conditions, and
(C) a chain shuttling agent,
wherein at least one of the first olefin polymerization catalyst or the second olefin polymerization catalyst is capable of forming a branched polymer by means of chain walking or reincorporation of in situ formed olefinic polymer chains.
2. The golf ball of claim 1 , wherein the composition is a blend comprising the multi-block copolymer and a non-ionomeric polymer selected from the group consisting of polyamides, polyurethanes, polyureas, polycarbonates, polyesters, polyacrylates, and engineering thermoplastics.
3. The golf ball of claim 2 , wherein the non-ionomeric polymer is a polyamide.
4. The golf ball of claim 1 , wherein the composition is a blend comprising the multi-block copolymer and an additional polymer selected from acid polymers, partially neutralized acid polymers, and highly neutralized acid polymers.
5. The golf ball of claim 4 , wherein the additional polymer is a partially or highly neutralized acid polymer and wherein the blend has a Shore D hardness of from 30 to 80, a flexural modulus of from 10 to 100 kpsi, a neat sphere compression of from 30 to 100, and a coefficient of restitution of from 0.650 to 0.850.
6. A golf ball comprising:
a core having an overall diameter of from 1.30 inches to 1.62 inches and comprising an inner core and an optional outer core;
a cover having a thickness of from 0.02 inches to 0.04 inches; and
a casing layer disposed between the core and the cover and having a thickness of from 0.03 inches to 0.06 inches;
wherein the casing layer is formed from a composition comprising a multi-block copolymer, and wherein the multi-block copolymer is produced by a process comprising contacting a first monomer selected from the group consisting of propylene and 4-methyl-1-pentene, and one or more addition polymerizable comonomers other than the first monomer, under addition polymerization conditions with a catalyst composition, the catalyst composition comprising the admixture or reaction product resulting from combining:
(A) a first olefin polymerization catalyst,
(B) a second olefin polymerization catalyst capable of preparing polymers differing in chemical or physical properties from the polymer prepared by the first olefin polymerization catalyst under equivalent polymerization conditions, and
(C) a chain shuttling agent.
7. The golf ball of claim 6 , wherein the composition is a blend comprising the multi-block copolymer and a non-ionomeric polymer selected from the group consisting of polyamides, polyurethanes, polyureas, polycarbonates, polyesters, polyacrylates, and engineering thermoplastics.
8. The golf ball of claim 7 , wherein the non-ionomeric polymer is a polyamide.
9. The golf ball of claim 6 , wherein the composition is a blend comprising the multi-block copolymer and an additional polymer selected from acid polymers, partially neutralized acid polymers, and highly neutralized acid polymers.
10. The golf ball of claim 9 , wherein the additional polymer is a partially or highly neutralized acid polymer and wherein the blend has a Shore D hardness of from 30 to 80, a flexural modulus of from 10 to 100 kpsi, a neat sphere compression of from 30 to 100, and a coefficient of restitution of from 0.650 to 0.850.
11. A golf ball comprising:
a core having an overall diameter of from 1.30 inches to 1.62 inches and comprising an inner core and an optional outer core;
a cover having a thickness of from 0.02 inches to 0.04 inches; and
a casing layer disposed between the core and the cover and having a thickness of from 0.03 inches to 0.06 inches;
wherein the casing layer is formed from a composition comprising a multi-block copolymer selected from the group consisting of maleic anhydride grafted ethylene-butene multi-block copolymers and maleic anhydride grafted ethylene-octene multi-block copolymers, and wherein the multi-block copolymer is produced by a process comprising contacting one or more addition polymerizable monomers under addition polymerization conditions with a catalyst composition, the catalyst composition comprising the admixture or reaction product resulting from combining:
(A) a first olefin polymerization catalyst,
(B) a second olefin polymerization catalyst capable of preparing polymers differing in chemical or physical properties from the polymer prepared by the first olefin polymerization catalyst under equivalent polymerization conditions, and
(C) a chain shuttling agent.
12. The golf ball of claim 11 , wherein the composition is a blend comprising the multi-block copolymer and a non-ionomeric polymer selected from the group consisting of polyamides, polyurethanes, polyureas, polycarbonates, polyesters, polyacrylates, and engineering thermoplastics.
13. The golf ball of claim 12 , wherein the non-ionomeric polymer is a polyamide.
14. The golf ball of claim 11 , wherein the composition is a blend comprising the multi-block copolymer and an additional polymer selected from acid polymers, partially neutralized acid polymers, and highly neutralized polymers.
15. The golf ball of claim 14 , wherein the additional polymer is a partially or highly neutralized acid polymer and wherein the blend has a Shore D hardness of from 30 to 80, a flexural modulus of from 10 to 100 kpsi, a neat sphere compression of from 30 to 100, and a coefficient of restitution of from 0.650 to 0.850.