Reaction injection moldable compositions, methods for making same, and resultant golf articles

A multi-layer golf ball comprising at least one core layer and a cover comprising an inner cover layer and an outer cover layer disposed about the at least one core layer, wherein at least one of the cover layers is formed from a reaction injection molded material comprising:

• a first reactable component comprising an isocyanate comprising greater than about 14 percent by weight isocyanate groups;
• and
• a second reactable component comprising at least one of a polyol, polyamine, or epoxy-containing compound,
• wherein the reactive mixture is injected into a mold having a desired shape within about 60 seconds or less.

Golf equipment, or a portion thereof, which comprises:

• a first reactable component comprising an isocyanate-containing compound having a viscosity of about 20,000 cP;
• and
• a second reactable component comprising at least one of a polyol, polyamine, or epoxy-containing compound and having a viscosity of about 20,000 cP,
• wherein the golf equipment, or portion thereof, is formed by reaction injection molding of the first and second reactable components, which react with each other after contact sufficiently to be substantially gelled or solidified within about 60 seconds, and wherein the isocyanate-containing compound has the generic structure, O═C═N—R—N═C═O, where R is a cyclic, aromatic, or linear branched or unbranched hydrocarbon chain each having a moiety containing from about 1 to 20 carbon atoms;
• a dimeric or multimeric adduct of a diisocyanate;
• a triisocyanate or higher functional polyisocyanate that is not an adduct of a diisocyanate;
• or a mixture thereof.

A golf ball having a cover and a core, wherein the cover is formed from a reactive mixture comprising:

• a first reactable component comprising an isocyanate-containing compound, wherein the isocyanate-containing compound comprises ethylene diisocyanate, propylene-1,2-diisocyanate, tetramethylene-1,4-diisoeyanate, 1,6-hexamethylene-diisocyanate, 2,2,4-trimethyihexamethylene diisocyanate, dodocane-1,12-diisocyanate, 2,4,4-trimethylhexamethylene, 4,4′-dicylohexyl diisocyanate, 2,4,4-trimethylene diisocyanate, cyclobutne-1,3-diisocyanate, cyclohexane-1,3-diisocyanate, cyclohexane-1,4-diisocyanate, methyl-cyclohexylene diisocyanate, 1-isocyanato-3,3,5-trimethyl-5-isocyanatomethyl cyclohexane, isophoronediisocyanate, 4,4′-diphenylmethane diisocyanate, polymeric 4,4′-diphenylmethane diisocyanate, carbodiimide-modified liquid 4,4′-diphenylmethane diisocyanate, p-phenylene diisocyanate, m-phenylene diisocyanate, toluene diisocyanate, 3,3′-dimethyl-4,4′-biphenylene diisocyanate, naphthalene diisocyanate, xylylene diisocyanate, tetracene diisocyanate, anthracene diisocyanate, the isocyanurate of toluene diisocyanate, the isocyanurate of hexamethylene diisocyanate, the uretdione of toluene diisocyanate, the uretdione of 1,6-hexamethylene-diisocyanate, or mixtures thereof;
• and
• a second reactable component comprising at least one of a polyol, polyamine, or epoxy-containing compound,
• wherein the reactive mixture is injected into a mold having a desired shape within about 0.25 seconds to about 30 seconds, and
• wherein the isocyanate-containing compound comprises greater than about 14 percent by weight unreacted isocyanate groups.

A method for forming golf equipment, or a portion thereof, which comprises:

• providing a first reactable component comprising an isocyanate-containing compound;
• and a second reactable component comprising at least one of a polyol, polyamine, or epoxy-containing compound;
• and
• combining the reactable components together to form a reactive mixture, wherein the first and second reactable components each have a viscosity of less than about 20,000 cPs at ambient temperature or at a temperature at which the reactive mixture is formed;
• and injecting the reactive mixture into a cavity or mold having a desired shape within about 60 seconds after the combining to avoid substantial gelation or solidification so as to provide at least a portion of the golf equipment,
• wherein the isocyanate-containing compound has the generic structure, O═C═N—R—N═C═O, where R is a cyclic, aromatic, or linear branched or unbranched hydrocarbon chain each having a moiety containing from about 1 to 20 carbon atoms;
• a dimeric or multimetric adduct of a diisocyanate;
• a triisocyanate or higher functional polyisocyanate that is not an adduct of a diisocyanate;
• or a mixture thereof.