| abstract |
The present invention relates to a novel blend composition suitable for use in sports equipment in general and in particular for use in golf ball manufacture. The composition is the reaction product of; A) a polymer of ethylene and/or one or more alpha olefins, and an acid, ester, or anhydride (“Component (A)”); and B) a compound comprising both an amine and a carboxylic acid in the same molecule which may be present in either a neutral or ionic or zwitterionic form (“Component (B)”); and C) a basic metal ion salt, capable of neutralizing the acid groups of Component (A) and/or Component (B). The metal ions including Li + , Na + , K + , Zn + , Co 2+ , Ca 2+ , Ni 2+ , Cu 2+ , Pb 2+ , and Mg 2+ , with Li + , Na + , Zn 2+ , Ca 2+ , and Mg 2+ being preferred, and their salts include those of, for example, formic acid, acetic acid, nitric acid, sulfuric acid, carbonic acid, bicarbonic acid, as well as the metal oxides, hydroxides, and alkoxides (“Component (C)”). n The present invention is also embodied in a blend composition including the reaction product of one or more ionomers and Component (B) which is a compound having a general formula (R 2 N) m —R′—(X(O) n OR y ) m , where R is either hydrogen, one or more C 1 -C 20 aliphatic systems, one or more cycloaliphatic systems, one or more aromatic systems, or a combination of these. Also R′ is a bridging group comprising one or more unsubstituted C 1 -C 20 straight chain or branched aliphatic or alicyclic groups, or one or more substituted straight chain or branched aliphatic or alicyclic groups, or one or more aromatic groups, one or more oligomers each containing up to 12 repeating units, and when X is C or S or P, m is 1-3. Also when X=C, n=1 and y=1, and when X=S, n=2 and y=1, and when X=P, n=2 and y=2. The present invention also resides in a golf ball including a core, an outer cover layer; and from 0 to 5 intermediate layers, wherein one or more of said core, outer cover, and/or intermediate layers, if present, includes the aforementioned blend compositions. Finally, the present invention is also embodied in sports equipment items comprising the aforementioned blend compositions. |