Golf Ball Core Graphene CNT Dispersion
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Solution Overview
Problem
Golf ball cores made from graphene and carbon nanotubes face challenges in achieving optimal mechanical strength and thermal conductivity due to the tendency of graphene nanoplatelets to stack and agglomerate, which affects their performance in impact resistance and curing processes.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating a mixture of graphene and carbon nanotubes (CNT) into the golf ball core, specifically in the outer core, to improve dispersion and prevent stacking, thereby enhancing mechanical strength and thermal conductivity, and optionally adding carbon black for further reinforcement.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If graphene nanoplatelets are used in golf ball core, then mechanical strength and thermal conductivity are improved, but graphene nanoplatelets tend to stack and agglomerate reducing effectiveness
Solution Approach 1:
Carbon nanotubes serve as intermediary structures that physically separate graphene nanoplatelets, preventing their stacking and agglomeration. The CNTs act as spacers that maintain optimal spacing between graphene layers, ensuring stable dispersion throughout the polybutadiene matrix while preserving the mechanical strength benefits of graphene reinforcement.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention creates a hybrid nanocomposite system combining graphene nanoplatelets with carbon nanotubes in a polybutadiene matrix. This composite approach leverages the complementary strengths of both nanofillers - graphene provides enhanced mechanical strength and thermal conductivity, while CNTs prevent graphene stacking, achieving synergistic performance that neither filler could accomplish alone.
2Strength
If graphene is used to improve mechanical strength, then impact resistance increases, but curing time increases due to poor thermal conductivity from stacking
Solution Approach 1:
Carbon nanotubes function as thermal conduction pathways that penetrate between stacked graphene layers, serving as heat transfer mediators. These CNT conduits establish efficient thermal communication across the composite matrix, enabling uniform heat distribution during curing processes and significantly reducing curing time while maintaining the impact resistance benefits of graphene reinforcement.
Solution Approach 2:
The hybrid graphene-CNT composite material creates a dual-function system where graphene nanoplatelets provide mechanical reinforcement for impact resistance, while carbon nanotubes establish thermal conduction networks that accelerate curing. This composite structure resolves the time-strength tradeoff by enabling simultaneous achievement of high impact resistance and reduced curing time.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The graphene/CNT mixture increases the mean time to fail under repeated impact, improves compression retention over time, and reduces curing time, leading to a more durable and efficient production process.
Implementation Method 1
When graphene and CNT are mixed together, one-dimensional CNTs occupy spaces between layers of graphene. This improves quality of graphene dispersion in a given polymer matrix.
Implementation Method 2
Increased thermal conductivity results in more uniform/faster curing of core that can reduce cure time and increase throughput.
Implementation Method 3
This proposed mixture of two nanofillers will improve the spacing between graphene nanoplatelets resulting in improved mechanical strength and thermal conductivity of core composite material.
Data Source
AI summary
A golf ball comprising an inner core comprising polybutadiene, and an outer core comprising a polybutadiene material, a graphene material and a carbon nanotube material (CNT) is disclosed herein. Improved durability of the core by using a mixture of graphene and CNT can result in higher mean time to fail (MTTF) upon repeated impact in a high speed testing device, or with a golf club in normal play.