Neutralized Acid Polymer Golf Ball Layer for Heat Stability
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional golf ball manufacturing faces challenges in achieving a balance between heat stability and processability using high and low molecular weight acid-containing polymers, leading to issues with durability, adhesion, resilience, and compression due to ingredient migration within and between layers.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating a neutralized acid polymer composition with low molecular weight non-acid waxes, which improves melt flow and heat stability while retaining desired golf ball properties, eliminating the need for blending high and low molecular weight polymers.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If high molecular weight acid-containing polymers are used, then heat stability is improved, but processability deteriorates due to low melt flow
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the molecular weight parameter of the acid-containing polymer from high to low, and compensates by adjusting the neutralization degree parameter (using 50-80% neutralized acid polymer). This parameter substitution resolves the contradiction by achieving both good melt flow (processability) and adequate heat stability through optimized composition ratios rather than relying on high molecular weight alone
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a composite ionomer system combining neutralized acid polymer (50-80%), low molecular weight acid-containing polymer (10-30%), and non-acid polymer (10-30%). This composite approach allows the low molecular weight component to provide processability while the neutralized acid polymer provides heat stability, eliminating the need to blend high and low molecular weight acid polymers
2Ease of manufacture
If low molecular weight acid-containing polymers are used, then processability is improved, but heat stability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the molecular weight parameter to low while compensating by optimizing the neutralization degree (50-80%) and blending with non-acid polymer. This parameter optimization allows low molecular weight polymers to provide excellent melt flow while the controlled neutralization and composite structure maintain adequate heat stability
Solution Approach 2:
The composite ionomer system combines low molecular weight acid-containing polymer (providing processability) with neutralized acid polymer and non-acid polymer (providing heat stability). The synergistic interaction in the composite eliminates the heat stability deficiency of low molecular weight polymers without sacrificing processability
3Ease of manufacture
If high and low molecular weight acid-containing polymers are blended, then processability and heat stability are balanced, but ingredient migration occurs leading to property degradation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the high molecular weight acid-containing polymer from the blend and replaces it with a neutralized acid polymer and low molecular weight acid-containing polymer system. This extraction eliminates the migration problem associated with high molecular weight acid polymers while maintaining the desired balance of processability and heat stability through the alternative composition approach
Solution Approach 2:
The neutralized acid polymer acts as an intermediary component that stabilizes the blend system. By using 50-80% neutralized acid polymer as the base, the system reduces ingredient migration between layers while maintaining both processability and heat stability, preventing the degradation of durability, adhesion, and other golf ball properties
Data Source
AI summary
Golf ball comprising layer(s) comprised of a mixture of: (a) low molecular weight acid-containing wax(es); (b) non-acid-polymer(s) including at least one low molecular weight non-acid wax such as high density oxidized polyethylene homopolymers; ethylene maleic anhydride copolymers; polypropylene maleic anhydride copolymers; polypropylene homopolymers; ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymers; high density oxidized homopolymers; oxidized copolymers; polyethylene micronized waxes; polytetrafluoroethylene micronized waxes; emulsifiable low molecular weight non-acid waxes; non-emulsifiable low molecular weight non-acid waxes; and/or chemically modified low molecular weight non-acid waxes; and (c) organic acid(s) or salt thereof. Molecular weight of each low molecular weight acid-containing wax is about 500 to 7000, or up to 30,000. Interactions between components (a), (b), and (c) advantageously produce layer of ionomeric material having heat stability, processability, and well-retained durability, adhesion, CoR, compression and targeted feel without need for blending high and low molecular weight acid-containing polymer(s).