# US 8,784,238 B2 · Highly neutralized polymeric compositions for golf ball layers > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 8,784,238 B2 - Document ID: US8784238B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 12/123,949 - Filed: 2008-05-20 - Published: 2008-12-18 - Granted: 2014-07-22 - Earliest claimed: 2005-05-24 - Assignees: Acushnet Company - Applicants: Murali Rajagopalan; Michael J. Sullivan; Pamela V. Arnold - Inventors: Murali Rajagopalan; Michael J. Sullivan; Pamela V. Arnold - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8784238B2 ## CPC - A63B 37/0003: {Golf balls} - A63B 37/0024: {Materials other than ionomers or polyurethane} - A63B 37/0033: {Thickness} - A63B 37/0041: {Coefficient of restitution} - A63B 37/0045: {Thickness} - A63B 37/0064: {Diameter} - A63B 37/0073: {Solid, i.e. formed of a single piece} - A63B 37/0078: {Coefficient of restitution} - A63B 45/00: Apparatus or methods for manufacturing balls (working of plastics or substances in a plastic state B29) - C08L 23/0876: Salts thereof, i.e. ionomers - C08L 2205/02: containing two or more polymers of the same C08L -group - C08L 2205/025: containing two or more polymers of the same hierarchy C08L, and differing only in parameters such as density, comonomer content, molecular weight, structure - C08L 2205/03: containing three or more polymers in a blend - A63B: APPARATUS FOR PHYSICAL TRAINING, GYMNASTICS, SWIMMING, CLIMBING, OR FENCING; BALL GAMES; TRAINING EQUIPMENT (apparatus for passive exercising, massage A61H) - C08L: COMPOSITIONS OF MACROMOLECULAR COMPOUNDS (compositions based on polymerisable monomers C08F, C08G; artificial filaments or fibres D01F; textile treating compositions D06) ## Abstract Compositions for golf balls including modified highly neutralized polymeric compositions that have improved processability including improved melt flow index and improved performance characteristics when included in a layer of a golf ball. In addition, the compositions of the invention have less moisture transmission and higher flexural modulus than non-modified highly neutralized polymers. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A golf ball comprising: a core having a diameter of about 1.50 inches to about 1.62 inches and a compression of about 120 atti or less formed of a composition comprising: a copolymer of ethylene and an α, β-unsaturated carboxylic acid, wherein greater than about 70 percent of the acid groups in the copolymer are neutralized with a cation; and a flow modifier present in an amount of 50 parts per hundred to 75 parts per hundred based on a hundred parts of the copolymer, wherein the flow modifier comprises a fatty acid salt, wherein the composition has a melt flow index of at least 10.3 g/10 min or greater at 190° C. using a 2160 gram weight; wherein the fatty acid salt comprises erucic acid, linoleic acid or dimerized derivatives thereof and a cation selected from the group consisting of barium, lithium, sodium, zinc, bismuth, chromium, cobalt, copper, potassium, strontium, titanium, tungsten, magnesium, cesium, iron, nickel, silver, aluminum, tin, and calcium; and wherein the composition has a Shore D hardness of about 40 to about 48 and a flexural modulus of about 23,300 psi to about 29,500 psi; a cover having a thickness of about 0.03 to about 0.09 inches. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The golf ball of claim 1, wherein the cover comprises a castable thermoset material or thermoplastic material. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The golf ball of claim 1, wherein the melt flow index is between 10.3 g/10 min and 19.2 g/10 min at 190° C. using a 2160 gram weight. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The golf ball of claim 3, wherein the flow modifier is present in an amount of 75 parts per hundred based on a hundred parts of the copolymer and, wherein the melt flow index is 19.2 g/10 min at 190° C. using a 2160 gram weight. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The golf ball of claim 1, wherein the cover comprises a castable reactive liquid polyurethane, polyurea, epoxy resin, or polyamide or a copolymer comprising urethane and urea segments. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The golf ball of claim 1, wherein the flow modifier is present in an amount of 75 parts per hundred based on a hundred parts of the copolymer. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The golf ball of claim 1, wherein the composition further comprises a softening comonomer comprising alkyl acrylate. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The golf ball of claim 1, wherein the composition has a Shore D hardness of about 46 to about 47. ### Claim 9 A golf ball comprising: a core having a diameter of about 1.50 inches to about 1.60 inches; an intermediate layer having a thickness of about 0.015 inches to about 0.06 inches; and a cover having a thickness of about 0.02 to about 0.045 inches, wherein at least one layer in the golf ball is formed from a composition comprising: a copolymer of ethylene and an α, β-unsaturated carboxylic acid, wherein greater than about 70 percent of the acid groups in the copolymer are neutralized with a cation; and a flow modifier present in an amount of 75 parts per hundred based on a hundred parts of the copolymer, wherein the flow modifier comprises a fatty acid salt; wherein the fatty acid salt comprises erucic acid, linoleic acid or dimerized derivatives thereof and a cation selected from the group consisting of barium, lithium, sodium, zinc, bismuth, chromium, cobalt, copper, potassium, strontium, titanium, tungsten, magnesium, cesium, iron, nickel, silver, aluminum, tin, and calcium; wherein the composition has a Shore D hardness of about 40 to about 48 and a flexural modulus of about 23,300 psi to about 29,500 psi. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The golf ball of claim 9, wherein about 80 percent or greater of the acid groups in the copolymer are neutralized with a cation. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The golf ball of claim 10, wherein the cation source is selected from a group consisting of metal cations of lithium, sodium, potassium, magnesium, calcium, barium, lead, tin, zinc, or aluminum. ### Claim 12 (depends on 9) The golf ball of claim 9, wherein the intermediate layer is formed from the composition. ### Claim 13 (depends on 9) The golf ball of claim 9, wherein the core is formed from the composition. ### Claim 14 (depends on 9) The golf ball of claim 9, wherein the composition has a Shore D hardness of about 46 to about 47. ### Claim 15 A golf ball comprising: a core having a diameter of about 0.5 inches to about 1.30 inches; an outer core layer having a thickness of about 0.125 inches to about 0.5 inches; an inner cover layer disposed about the outer core layer having a thickness of about 0.015 inches to about 0.06 inches; and an outer cover layer disposed about the inner cover layer having a thickness of about 0.02 to about 0.045 inches, wherein the golf ball has a compression of about 50 to about 100 atti and a coefficient of restitution of at least about 0.805 at 125 ft/sec, and wherein at least one layer in the golf ball is formed from a composition comprising: a copolymer of ethylene, an α, β-unsaturated carboxylic acid, and an optional comonomer, wherein greater than about 70 percent of the acid groups in the copolymer are neutralized with a cation; and a flow modifier comprising a fatty acid salt, wherein the composition has a melt flow index of at least 10.3 g/10 min at 190° C. using a 2160 gram weight, wherein the composition has a flexural modulus of about 23,300 psi to about 29,500 psi, and wherein the composition has a Shore D hardness of about 40 to about 48; wherein the fatty acid salt comprises erucic acid, linoleic acid or dimerized derivatives thereof and a cation selected from the group consisting of barium, lithium, sodium, zinc, bismuth, chromium, cobalt, copper, potassium, strontium, titanium, tungsten, magnesium, cesium, iron, nickel, silver, aluminum, tin, and calcium. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The golf ball of claim 15, wherein the comonomer is present in an amount of about 0 percent to 10 percent by weight of the copolymer. ### Claim 17 (depends on 15) The golf ball of claim 15, wherein about 90 percent or greater of the acid groups in the copolymer are neutralized with a cation. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The golf ball of claim 17, wherein about 100 percent or greater of the acid groups in the copolymer are neutralized with a cation. ### Claim 19 (depends on 15) The golf ball of claim 15, wherein the core comprises the composition. ### Claim 20 (depends on 15) The golf ball of claim 15, wherein the outer core layer comprises the composition. ### Claim 21 (depends on 15) The golf ball of claim 15, wherein the composition has a Shore D hardness of about 46 to about 47.