Golf ball material and golf ball

Abstract

The present invention provides a golf ball material which is a thermoplastic ionomer blend composition of an acid-containing ethylene-based terpolymer having a weight-average molecular weight Mw of at least about 100,000, an acid-containing ethylene-based copolymer and/or terpolymer having a Mw of about 1,500 to about 95,000, and a low-molecular-weight acid-containing compound having a molecular weight of up to about 1,000, at least some portion of which composition is neutralized. The golf ball material is soft and resilient, and has a good durability and improved moldability.

1 - 5 . (canceled) 
   
   
       6 . A golf ball comprising a molding made of a golf ball material comprising a thermoplastic ionomer blend composition of thermoplastic components (a), (b) and (c) below neutralized with (d) metal cations:
 (a) at least one E/X/Y terpolymer having a polystyrene equivalent weight-average molecular weight Mw at least about 100,000, measured by gel permeation chromatography (GPC), wherein E is an α-olefin, X is a C 3  to C 8  unsaturated monocarboxylic acid or unsaturated dicarboxylic acid (or an acid anhydride thereof) and Y is an alkyl ester of an unsaturated monocarboxylic acid or unsaturated dicarboxylic acid in which the alkyl groups have from 1 to 8 carbon atoms and wherein X is present in an amount of from about 1 to about 30 wt % of the terpolymer and Y is present in an amount of from about 2 to about 30 wt % of said terpolymer;   (b) at least one E/X copolymer and/or E/X/Y terpolymer having a polystyrene equivalent weight-average molecular weight Mw about 1,500 to about 95,000 measured by GPC, wherein X is present in an amount of from about 1 to about 30 wt % of the E/X copolymer or E/X/Y terpolymer and Y is present in an amount of from about 2 to about 30 wt % of the E/X/Y terpolymer, component (b) being present in an amount of from about 5 to about 45 wt % based on the total weight of components (a), (b) and (c) combined; and   (c) at least one mono- and/or multifunctional acid groups-containing organic compound, or a metal salt thereof, having a molecular weight of less than about 1,000, component (c) being present in an amount of about 5 to about 35 wt % based on the total weight of components (a), (b) and (c) combined.   
   
   
       7 . A golf ball selected from among two-piece solid golf balls having a core and a cover encasing the core and multi piece solid golf balls having a core of at least one layer, at least one intermediate layer encasing the core, and a cover of at least one layer encasing the intermediate layers, wherein the cover or intermediate is comprised of a golf ball material of comprising a thermoplastic ionomer blend composition of thermoplastic components (a), (b) and (c) below neutralized with (d) metal cations:
 (a) at least one E/X/Y terpolymer having a polystyrene equivalent weight-average molecular weight Mw at least about 100,000, measured by gel permeation chromatography (GPC), wherein E is an α-olefin, X is a C 3  to C 8  unsaturated monocarboxylic acid or unsaturated dicarboxylic acid (or an acid anhydride thereof) and Y is an alkyl ester of an unsaturated monocarboxylic acid or unsaturated dicarboxylic acid in which the alkyl groups have from 1 to 8 carbon atoms, and wherein X is present in an amount of from about 1 to about 30 wt % of the terpolymer and Y is present in an amount of from about 2 to about 30 wt % of said terpolymer;   (b) at least one E/X copolymer and/or E/X/Y terpolymer having a polystyrene equivalent weight-average molecular weight Mw about 1,500 to about 95,000 measured by GPC, wherein X is present in an amount of from about 1 to about 30 wt % of the E/X copolymer or E/X/Y terpolymer and Y is present in an amount of from about 2 to about 30 wt % of the E/X/Y terpolymer, component (b) being present in an amount of from about 5 to about 45 wt % based on the total weight of components (a), (b) and (c) combined; and   (c) at least one mono- and/or multifunctional acid groups-containing organic compound, or a metal salt thereof, having a molecular weight of less than about 1,000, component (c) being present in an amount of about 5 to about 35 wt % based on the total weight of components (a), (b and (c) combined.   
   
   
       8 . The golf ball of  claim 6 , wherein component (d) is an oxygen-containing inorganic metal compound selected from the group consisting of metal oxides, metal carbonates and metal hydroxides, in which the metal cations neutralize at least some portion of the acid groups present in the thermoplastic component composition of (a), (b) and (c). 
   
   
       9 . The golf ball material of  claim 6 , wherein the metal cations in component (d) are of a type selected from among groups IA, IB, IIA, IIB, IIIA, IIIB, IVA, IVB, VA, VB, VIA, VIB, VIIB and VIIIB of the periodic table. 
   
   
       10 . The golf ball of  claim 6 , wherein the thermoplastic ionomer blend composition has a melt flow rate (MFR) of at least 2.0 g/10 min. 
   
   
       11 . The golf ball of  claim 6 , wherein component (a) is a partially neutralized terpolymer. 
   
   
       12 . The golf ball of  claim 7 , wherein component (d) is an oxygen-containing inorganic metal compound selected from the group consisting of metal oxides, metal carbonates and metal hydroxides, in which the metal cations neutralize at least some portion of the acid groups present in the thermoplastic component composition of (a), (b) and (c). 
   
   
       13 . The golf ball material of  claim 7 , wherein the metal cations in component (d) are of a type selected from among groups IA, IB, IIA, IIB, IIIA, IIIB, IVA, IVB, VA, VB, VIA, VIB, VIIB and VIIIB of the periodic table. 
   
   
       14 . The golf ball of  claim 7 , wherein the thermoplastic ionomer blend composition has a melt flow rate (MFR) of at least 2.0 g/10 min. 
   
   
       15 . The golf ball of  claim 7 , wherein component (a) is a partially neutralized terpolymer.