초록 ▼

The present invention is directed to a golf ball and to a process for forming a golf ball having at least one layer, where the layer is formed of an ionomer composition having greater than about 70 percent of the acid groups neutralized by a neutralizing component including ammonium salts, monoamine

The present invention is directed to a golf ball and to a process for forming a golf ball having at least one layer, where the layer is formed of an ionomer composition having greater than about 70 percent of the acid groups neutralized by a neutralizing component including ammonium salts, monoamine salts, or a combination thereof.

대표청구항 ▼

We claim: 1. A golf ball comprising at least one layer having a composition comprising: a thermoplastic resin component having an acid group and a neutralizing component selected from the group consisting of primary, secondary, or tertiary ammonium-based compounds wherein the acid group is highly n

We claim: 1. A golf ball comprising at least one layer having a composition comprising: a thermoplastic resin component having an acid group and a neutralizing component selected from the group consisting of primary, secondary, or tertiary ammonium-based compounds wherein the acid group is highly neutralized, and wherein the thermoplastic resin component is a copolymer of ethylene and acrylic acid or methacrylic acid. 2. The golf ball of claim 1, wherein the golf ball has a core having an outer diameter of about 1.51 inches or greater. 3. The golf ball of claim 1, wherein at least about 90 percent or greater of the acid group is neutralized. 4. The golf ball of claim 3, wherein about 100 percent of the acid functionalized moiety is neutralized. 5. The golf ball of claim 1, wherein the core comprises an inner core layer and an outer core layer, wherein the inner core layer has a diameter of from about 0.5 inches to about 1.2 inches, and wherein the outer core layer has a thickness from about 0.1 inches to about 0.59 inches. 6. The golf ball of claim 2, wherein the golf ball has an intermediate layer and a cover, wherein the intermediate layer is from about 0.01 to about 0.1 inches thick and the cover is about 0.07 inches thick or less. 7. The golf ball of claim 6, wherein at least about 90 percent or greater of the acid group is neutralized. 8. The golf ball of claim 7, wherein about 100 percent of the acid group is neutralized. 9. The golf ball of claim 5, wherein the golf ball has an intermediate layer and a cover, wherein the intermediate layer is from about 0.01 to about 0.1 inches thick and the cover is about 0.07 inches thick or less. 10. The golf ball of claim 1, wherein about 10 percent or greater of the acid group is neutralized by the neutralizing component. 11. The golf ball of claim 10, wherein the acid group also is at least partially neutralized with a metal ion. 12. The golf ball of claim 1, wherein the composition is blended with a polymer. 13. The golf ball of claim 12, wherein the polymer comprises saponified polymers, graft copolymers of saponified polymers, oxa esters and oxa acids, block copolymers of a poly(ether-ester), block copolymers of a poly(ether-amide), styrene-butadiene-styrene block copolymers, styrene-(ethylene-propylene)-styrene or styrene-(ethylene-butylene)-styrene block copolymers, olefinic copolymers, metallocene catalyzed polymers, ethylene-alpha olefin copolymers, terpolymers made from metallocene catalysts, block poly(urethane-ester) or block poly(urethane-ether) or block poly(urethane-caprolactone), polyethylene glycol, polycaprolactone, polycaprolactam, polyesters, polyamides, ethylene-propylene-(diene monomer) terpolymers and their sulfonated or carboxylated derivatives, PP/EPDM, dynamically vulcanized rubbers, or mixtures thereof. 14. The golf ball of claim 12, wherein the composition forms about 25% or greater of the blended composition and polymer. 15. The golf ball of claim 14, wherein the composition forms about 50% or greater of the blended composition and polymer. 16. The golf ball of claim 15, wherein the composition forms about 75% or greater of the blended composition and polymer. 17. The golf ball of claim 12, wherein the polymer is thermoplastic. 18. The golf ball of claim 10, wherein about 30 percent or greater of the acid group is neutralized by the neutralizing component. 19. The golf ball of claim 18, wherein about 50 percent or greater of the acid group is neutralized by the neutralizing component. 20. The golf ball of claim 19, wherein about 80 percent or greater of the acid group is neutralized by the neutralizing component. 21. The golf ball of claim 20, wherein about 90 percent or greater of the acid group is neutralized by the neutralizing component. 22. The golf ball of claim 1, wherein at least about 80 percent or greater of the acid group is neutralized. 23. A golf ball comprising a core and a cover, wherein at least one of the core and the cover is formed of a composition comprising: a thermoplastic resin component having an acid group, wherein the thermoplastic resin component is a copolymer of ethylene and acrylic acid or methacrylic acid; and a neutralizing component comprising an ammonium salt, wherein acid group is neutralized about 90 percent or greater. 24. The golf ball of claim 23, wherein about 100 percent of the acid group is neutralized. 25. The golf ball of claim 23, wherein the ammonium salt comprises at least one quaternary ammonium compound. 26. The golf ball of claim 25, wherein the at least one quaternary ammonium compound comprises tetraalkylammonium hydroxides. 27. The golf ball of claim 26, wherein the quaternary ammonium compound comprises tetramethylammonium hydroxide. 28. The golf ball of claim 23, wherein the neutralizing component comprises ammonium hydroxide. 29. The golf ball of claim 23, wherein the acid group is present in an amount of about 5 percent to about 35 percent by weight of the thermoplastic resin component. 30. The golf ball of claim 23, wherein the acid group is present in an amount of about 8 percent to about 25 percent by weight of the thermoplastic resin component. 31. A golf ball comprising: a core; a cover; and an intermediate layer disposed between the core and the cover, wherein the intermediate layer comprises: a thermoplastic resin component having an acid group, wherein the thermoplastic resin component is a copolymer of ethylene and acrylic acid or methacrylic acid; and a neutralizing component selected from the group consisting of primary, secondary, or tertiary ammonium-based compounds, an ammonium salt, and mixtures thereof, wherein the acid group is neutralized to an amount of about 90 percent or greater. 32. The golf ball of claim 31, wherein the acid group is about 100 percent neutralized. 33. The golf ball of claim 31, wherein the intermediate layer has a flexural modulus of about 5,000 psi to about 100,000 psi. 34. The golf ball of claim 31, wherein the intermediate layer has a flexural modulus of about 25,000 psi to about 75,000 psi. 35. The golf ball of claim 31, wherein the intermediate layer has a hardness of about 30 Shore D to about 70 Shore D. 36. The golf ball of claim 31, wherein the cover comprises a polyurethane, a polyurea, or a mixture thereof. 37. The golf ball of claim 31, wherein the cover comprises a thermoplastic material.