Golf ball composition

Abstract

The present invention relates to golf ball where at least one of the outer cover layer and the intermediate layer (if present) includes a blend composition of about 2 to about 40 wt % of a polyamide and about 60 to about 98 wt % of one or more of either a block copolymer, an acidic copolymer; an acidic terpolymer; an ionomer, or a multi component blend composition (“MCBC”); and where the polyamide has a melting point which is greater than about 5 and less than about 200° C. above the melting point of the other blend component.

1 . A golf ball comprising;
 1) a core comprising a center,   2) an outer cover layer; and   3) one or more intermediate layers,   
       wherein at least one of the outer cover layer and the intermediate layer comprises a blend composition of;
 (A) from about 2 to about 40 wt % (based on the combined weight of Components A and B) of a polyamide; and 
 (B) from about 60 to about 98 wt % (based on the combined weight of Components A and B) of a polymer selected from the group consisting of;
 i) block copolymers; 
 ii) acidic copolymers; 
 iii) acidic terpolymers; 
 iv) ionomers, 
 v) a multi component blend composition (“MCBC”); and 
 vi) any and all combinations of i-v; and 
 
 
       wherein said polyamide has a melting point which is greater than about 5 and less than about 200° C. above the melting point of Component B. 
     
     
         2 . The golf ball of  claim 1  wherein;
 Component (A) is present in an amount of from about 5 to about 30 wt % (based on the combined weight of Components A and B) and comprises a polyamide selected from the group consisting of homopolyamides, copolymers of polyamide and polyesters, copolymers of polyamide and polyethers; and any and all combinations thereof; 
 Component (B) is present in an amount of from about 70 to about 95 wt % (based on the combined weight of Components A and B) and is selected from the group consisting of
 i) block copolymers of an aromatic vinyl compound and a conjugated diene; 
 ii) unimodal ethylene/(meth)acrylic acid copolymers; 
 iii) unimodal ethylene/(meth)acrylic acid/(meth)acrylate terpolymers; 
 iv) bimodal ethylene/(meth)acrylic acid copolymers 
 v) bimodal ethylene/(meth)acrylic acid/(meth)acrylate terpolymers; 
 vi) unimodal ionomers; 
 vii) bimodal ionomers, 
 viii) modified unimodal ionomers; 
 ix) modified bimodal ionomers; 
 x) a multi component blend composition comprising;
 a) an ethylene/(meth)acrylic acid copolymer or ethylene/(meth)acrylic acid/(meth)acrylate terpolymer; 
 b) a block copolymer of an aromatic vinyl compound and a conjugated diene; and 
 c) a basic metal salt selected from the group consisting of metal hydroxides, metal oxides, metal carbonates, metal acetates, metal stearates, metal laureates, metal oleates, metal palmitates and any and all combinations thereof; and 
 
 xi) any and all combinations thereof; and 
 
 
       wherein Component A has a melting point which is greater than about 10 and less than about 150° C. above the melting point of Component B. 
     
     
         3 . The golf ball of  claim 1  wherein;
 A) Component (A) is present in an amount of from about 8 to about 20 wt % (based on the combined weight of Components A and B) and comprises include polyamide 6; polyamide 11; polyamide 12; polyamide 4,6; polyamide 6,6; polyamide 6,8; polyamide 6,9; polyamide 6,10; polyamide 6,12; or Polyamide BMACM.12; 
 (B) Component (B) is present in an amount of from about 80 to about 92 wt % (based on the combined weight of Components A and B) and comprises a block copolymer comprising styrene-butadiene-styrene (SBS), styrene-ethylene-butylene-styrene, (SEBS) and styrene-ethylene/propylene-styrene (SEPS) or a multi component blend composition comprising;
 a) an ethylene/(meth)acrylic acid copolymer; 
 b) a block copolymer of styrene-butadiene-styrene (SBS), styrene-ethylene-butylene-styrene, (SEBS) and styrene-ethylene/propylene-styrene (SEPS); and 
 c) a zinc oxide, zinc hydroxides, calcium stearates and all combinations thereof; and 
 
 
       wherein Component A has a melting point which is greater than about 20 and less than about 10° C. above the melting point of Component B. 
     
     
         4 . The golf ball according to  claim 1 , wherein the one or more of the layers enclosing the golf ball core also include a polymer selected from the group consisting of thermoplastic elastomer, thermoset elastomer, synthetic rubber, thermoplastic vulcanizate, copolymeric ionomer, terpolymeric ionomer, polycarbonate, polyolefin, polyamide, copolymeric polyamide, polyesters, polyvinyl alcohols, acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene copolymers, polyarylate, polyacrylate, polyphenylene ether, impact-modified polyphenylene ether, high impact polystyrene, diallyl phthalate polymer, metallocene catalyzed polymers functionalized styrenic copolymer, functionalized styrenic terpolymer, styrenic terpolymer, cellulose polymer, liquid crystal polymer (LCP), ethylene-propylene-diene terpolymer (EPDM), ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymers (EVA), ethylene-propylene copolymer, ethylene vinyl acetate, polyurea, polysiloxane, and any metallocene-catalyzed polymers of these species. 
     
     
         5 . The golf ball according to  claim 1 , wherein the core or one or more of the layers enclosing the golf ball core include a nanofiller clay selected from the group consisting of hydrotalcite, montmorillonite, phyllosilicate, saponite, hectorite, beidellite, stevensite, vermiculite, halloysite, mica, micafluoride, and ostosilicate and present in an amount between about 0.1% and about 20% by weight and said nanofiller is either is either intercalated or exfoliated within the polymer. 
     
     
         6 . A two piece golf ball having;
 1) a core comprising a center, and   2) an outer cover layer;   
       wherein the outer cover layer comprises a blend composition of;
 (A) from about 2 to about 40 wt % (based on the combined weight of Components A and B) of a polyamide; and 
 (B) from about 60 to about 98 wt % (based on the combined weight of Components A and B) of a polymer selected from the group consisting of;
 i) block copolymers; 
 ii) acidic copolymers; 
 iii) acidic terpolymers; 
 iv) ionomers, 
 v) a multi component blend composition (“MCBC”); and 
 vi) any and all combinations of i-v; and 
 
 
       wherein said polyamide has a melting point which is greater than about 5 and less than about 200° C. above the melting point of Component B. 
     
     
         7 . The golf ball of  claim 6  wherein;
 A) Component (A) is present in an amount of from about 5 to about 30 wt % (based on the combined weight of Components A and B) and comprises a polyamide selected from the group consisting of homopolyamides, copolymers of polyamide and polyesters, copolymers of polyamide and polyethers; and any and all combinations thereof; 
 (B) Component (B) is present in an amount of from about 70 to about 95 wt % (based on the combined weight of Components A and B) and is selected from the group consisting of
 i) block copolymers of an aromatic vinyl compound and a conjugated diene; 
 ii) unimodal ethylene/(meth)acrylic acid copolymers; 
 iii) unimodal ethylene/(meth)acrylic acid/(meth)acrylate terpolymers; 
 iv) bimodal ethylene/(meth)acrylic acid copolymers 
 v) bimodal ethylene/(meth)acrylic acid/(meth)acrylate terpolymers; 
 vi) unimodal ionomers; 
 vii) bimodal ionomers, 
 viii) modified unimodal ionomers; 
 ix) modified bimodal ionomers; 
 x) a multi component blend composition comprising;
 a) an ethylene/(meth)acrylic acid copolymer or ethylene/(meth)acrylic acid/(meth)acrylate terpolymer; 
 b) a block copolymer of an aromatic vinyl compound and a conjugated diene; and 
 c) a basic metal salt selected from the group consisting of metal hydroxides, metal oxides, metal carbonates, metal acetates, metal stearates, metal laureates, metal oleates, metal palmitates and any and all combinations thereof; and 
 
 xi) any and all combinations thereof; and 
 
 
       wherein Component A has a melting point which is greater than about 10 and less than about 150° C. above the melting point of Component B. 
     
     
         8 . The golf ball of  claim 6  wherein;
 A) Component (A) is present in an amount of from about 8 to about 20 wt % (based on the combined weight of Components A and B) and comprises include polyamide 6; polyamide 11; polyamide 12; polyamide 4,6; polyamide 6,6; polyamide 6,8; polyamide 6,9; polyamide 6,10; polyamide 6,12; or Polyamide BMACM.12; 
 (B) Component (B) is present in an amount of from about 80 to about 92 wt % (based on the combined weight of Components A and B) and comprises a block copolymer comprising styrene-butadiene-styrene (SBS), styrene-ethylene-butylene-styrene, (SEBS) and styrene-ethylene/propylene-styrene (SEPS), or a multi component blend composition comprising;
 a) an ethylene/(meth)acrylic acid copolymer; 
 b) a block copolymer of styrene-butadiene-styrene (SBS), styrene-ethylene-butylene-styrene, (SEBS) and styrene-ethylene/propylene-styrene (SITS); and 
 c) a zinc oxide, zinc hydroxides, calcium stearates and all combinations thereof; and 
 
 
       wherein Component A has a melting point which is greater than about 20 and less than about 10° C. above the melting point of Component B.