Highly Neutralized Acid Polymers in Golf Balls
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional golf ball polymers become unprocessable at high neutralization levels above 60% without flow additives, limiting their application in golf ball core and cover layers.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating polyhydric alcohols into highly neutralized acid polymer compositions allows for high levels of acid group neutralization up to 100% without requiring fatty acids, maintaining processability and improving melt flow index, enabling their use in golf ball layers.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If the neutralization level of acid polymer is increased above 60%, then the toughness and durability of the polymer are improved, but the melt flow decreases to an extent that processability decreases or disappears altogether
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the chemical parameter of the polymer by introducing polyhydric alcohols with specific molecular weights (500-20,000) and functionality (2-6 hydroxyl groups per molecule). This chemical modification allows the polymer to maintain high neutralization levels (above 60%) while preserving melt flow properties, thereby resolving the contradiction between improved toughness/durability and maintained processability
Solution Approach 2:
Polyhydric alcohols act as intermediary substances that mediate between the highly neutralized acid polymer and the processing requirements. These compounds with multiple hydroxyl groups interact with the polymer chains to maintain flexibility and melt flow while allowing high levels of neutralization, thus enabling both improved mechanical properties and continued processability
2Strength
If the neutralization level is increased to 70% and higher including 100%, then the stiffness and mechanical properties of the ionomer are improved, but the melt flow decreases significantly making the polymer unprocessable in the absence of flow additives
Solution Approach 1:
The patent modifies the chemical parameters by incorporating polyhydric alcohols with controlled molecular weights and hydroxyl group counts. This chemical change enables the polymer to achieve high neutralization levels (70-100%) for improved stiffness while the polyhydric alcohols maintain sufficient melt flow for processing, eliminating the need for additional flow additives
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a composite material system combining the highly neutralized acid polymer with polyhydric alcohols. This composite approach allows the polymer to achieve high neutralization for improved mechanical properties while the polyhydric alcohol component maintains processability, effectively resolving the contradiction between strength and ease of manufacture
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention is directed to a golf ball having at least one layer which includes a polymer composition containing at least 50 wt % of an acid polymer and at least 0.5 wt % of a polyhydric alcohol, wherein the weight percentages are based on the total polymeric weight of the polymer composition. At least 70% of the acid groups of the acid polymer are neutralized by a cation source or a metal salt thereof.