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+, Co2+, Ca2+, Ni2+, Cu2+, Pb2+, and Mg2+, with Li+, Na+, Zn2+, Ca2+, and Mg2+ 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)”). 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 (R2N)m—R′—(X(O)nORy)m, where R is either
hydrogen, one or more C1-C20 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 C1-C20
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.