Low compression, resilient golf balls including aromatic catalyst and method for making same

A method for forming a golf ball which comprises:

• combining (a) a cis-to-trans catalyst comprising at least one aromatic component having the formula (R1)x—R3—M—R4—(R2)y;
• (b) a free radical source;
• and (c) a first resilient polymer component comprising a cis-polybutadiene component present in an amount greater than about 70 percent of the total polymer component;
• converting a portion of the first resilient polymer component to a second resilient polymer component in about 5 to 18 minutes at a sufficient temperature to convert at least a portion of the cis-polybutadiene component to a trans-polybutadiene component and wherein the polybutadiene in the second resilient polymer component is at least about 10 percent trans-polybutadiene and less than about 7 percent vinyl-polybutadiene;
• and
• forming the second resilient polymer component into at least a portion of the golf ball, wherein R1 and R2 are each hydrogen or a substituted or unsubstituted C1-20 linear, branched, or cyclic alkyl, or alkoxy group, or a single, multiple, or fused ring C6 to C24 aromatic group;
• x and y are each an integer from 0 to 5;
• R3 and R4 are each selected from a single, multiple, or fused ring C6 to C24 aromatic group;
• and M includes an azo group or a metal component.

A golf ball prepared by a process which comprises:

• combining (a) at least one of a cis-to-trans catalyst comprising at least one aromatic component having the formula (R1)x—R3—M—R4—(R2)y;
• (b) a free radical source;
• and (c) a first resilient polymer component comprising a cis-polybutadiene component present in an amount greater than about 70 percent of the resilient polymer component;
• converting a portion of the first resilient polymer component to a second resilient polymer component in about 5 to 18 minutes, wherein at least a portion of the cis-isomer content is converted to a trans-isomer content and wherein the polybutadiene in the second resilient polymer component is at least about 10 percent trans-polybutadiene and less than about 7 percent vinyl-polybutadiene;
• and
• forming the second resilient polymer component into at least a portion of the golf ball, wherein R1 and R2 are each hydrogen or a substituted or unsubstituted C1-20 linear, branched, or cyclic alkyl, or alkoxy group, or a single, multiple, or fused ring C6 to C24 aromatic group;
• x and y are each an integer from 0 to 5;
• R3 and R4 are each selected from a single, multiple, or fused ring C6 to C24 aromatic group;
• and M includes an azo group or a metal component.

A golf ball comprising a material formed from the conversion reaction of a sufficient amount of polybutadiene, a free radical source, and a cis-to-trans catalyst comprising at least one aromatic component having the formula (R1)x—R3—M—R4—(R2)y, which reaction occurs at a sufficient temperature to form a polybutadiene reaction product which comprises:

• an amount of trans-polybutadiene greater than the amount of trans-polybutadiene present before the conversion reaction;
• and
• a cis-to-trans catalyst comprising the at least one aromatic component, wherein the reaction product comprises a sphere which has a midpoint having a first hardness and a surface having a second hardness such that the second hardness differs from the first hardness by greater than 10 percent of the first hardness and wherein R1 and R2 are hydrogen or a substituted or unsubstituted C1-20 linear, branched, or cyclic alkyl, or alkoxy, group, or a single, multiple, or fused ring C6 to C24 aromatic group;
• x and y are each an integer from 0 to 5;
• R3 and R4 are each selected from a single, multiple, or fused ring C6 to C24 aromatic group;
• and M includes an azo group or a metal component.

A method for forming a golf ball which comprises:

• combining (a) a cis-to-trans catalyst comprising at least one aromatic component having the formula (R1)x—R3—M—R4—(R2)y;
• (b) a free radical source;
• and (c) a first resilient polymer component comprising a cis-polybutadiene component present in an amount greater than about 70 percent of the total polymer component;
• converting a portion of the first resilient polymer component to a second resilient polymer component in about 5 to 18 minutes at a sufficient temperature to convert at least a portion of the cis-polybutadiene component to a trans-polybutadiene component and wherein the polybutadiene in the second resilient polymer component is at least about 10 percent trans-polybutadiene and less than about 7 percent vinyl-polybutadiene;
• and
• forming the second resilient polymer component into at least a portion of the golf ball, wherein the second resilient component comprises a sphere which has a midpoint having a first hardness and a surface having a second hardness such that the second hardness differs from the first hardness by greater than 10 percent of the first hardness and wherein R1 and R2 arc each hydrogen or a substituted or unsubstituted C1-20 linear, branched, or cyclic alkyl, or alkoxy group, or a single, multiple, or fused ring C6 to C24 aromatic group;
• x and y are each an integer from 0 to 5;
• R3 and R4 are each selected from a single, multiple, or fused ring C6 to C24, aromatic group;
• and M includes an azo group or a metal component.

A method for forming a golf ball which comprises:

• combining (a) a cis-to-trans catalyst comprising at least one aromatic component having the formula (R1)x—R3—M—R4—(R2)y;
• (b) a free radical source;
• and (c) a first resilient polymer component comprising a cis-polybutadiene component present in an amount greater than about 70 percent of the total polymer component;
• converting a portion of the first resilient polymer component to a second resilient polymer component in about 5 to 18 minutes at a sufficient temperature to convert at least a portion of the cis-polybutadiene component to a trans-polybutadiene component and wherein the polybutadiene in the second resilient polymer component is at least about 10 percent trans-polybutadiene and less than about 7 percent vinyl-polybutadiene;
• and
• forming the second resilient polymer component into at least a portion of the golf ball, wherein the second resilient component has a first dynamic stiffness measured at −50° C. that is less than about 130 percent of a second dynamic stiffness measured at 0° C., wherein R1 and R2 are each hydrogen or a substituted or unsubstituted C1-20 linear, branched, or cyclic alkyl, or alkoxy group, or a single, multiple, or fused ring C6 to C24 aromatic group;
• x and y are each an integer from 0 to 5;
• R3 and R4 are each selected from a single, multiple, or fused ring C6 to C24 aromatic group;
• and M includes an azo group or a metal component.