Scratch resistant coating compositions for golf equipment

Abstract

The present invention is directed to a scratch-resistant composition for golf equipment comprising at least one polysiloxane having at least one functional group, at least one reactant that is reactive to the polysiloxane, and a plurality of particles, wherein the coating shows an improvement in scratch resistance. The present invention is also directed to golf equipment such as golf club coated with the scratch-resistant coating.

1 . A golf club comprises a club head, a shaft coupled to the club head, and a grip coupled to the shaft opposite the club head, wherein at least a portion of the golf club is coated with a scratch-resistant coating, the coating comprising: 
 at least one polysiloxane having at least one functional group,    at least one reactant having at least another functional group that is reactive to the functional group of the at least one polysiloxane, and    a plurality of particles chosen from inorganic particles, organic particles, and composite particles, and wherein the coating shows an improvement in scratch resistance.    
   
   
       2 . The golf club of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one polysiloxane has a formula of:  
     
       
         
         
             
             
         
       
       wherein m is an integer of 1-75,  
       each R 1  is independently selected from the group consisting of H, OH, monovalent hydrocarbon group, and monovalent siloxane group, and  
       each R 2  is independently selected from the group consisting of hydroxyl group, carboxyl group, thioisocyanate group, blocked polythioisocyanate group, primary amine group, secondary amine group, amide group, carbamate group, urea group, urethane group, vinyl group, acrylate group, methacrylate group, maleimide group, fumarate group, sulfonium group, ammonium group, anhydride group, hydroxy alkylamide group, half-ester acid group, and epoxy group.  
     
   
   
       3 . The golf club of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one polysiloxane has one of the following formulas:  
     
       
         
         
             
             
         
       
       wherein m ranges from 1 to 75; m′ ranges from 0 to 75; n ranges from 0 to 75; and n′ ranges from 0 to 75;  
       each R 1  is independently selected from the group consisting of H, OH, monovalent hydrocarbon group, and monovalent siloxane group; and  
       each R 2  independently comprises a structure of:  
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
       
       where R 3  is a member selected from the group consisting of alkylene group, oxyalkylene group, alkylene aryl group, alkenylene group, oxyalkenylene group, and alkenylene aryl group; and  
       X is a member selected from the group consisting of unsaturated ester group, onium salt group, hydroxyl group, carboxyl group, thioisocyanate group, blocked polythioisocyanate group, primary amine group, secondary amine group, amide group, carbamate group, vinyl group, acrylate group, methacrylate group, maleimide group, fumarate group, sulfonium group, ammonium group, anhydride group, hydroxy alkylamide group, and epoxy group.  
     
   
   
       4 . The golf club of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one reactant has a general formula of:  
     
       
         
         
             
             
         
       
       wherein R 4  is selected from the group consisting of alkylene group, oxyalkylene group, alkylene aryl group, alkenylene group, oxyalkenylene group, and alkenylene aryl group; and  
       Y is selected from the group consisting of hydroxyl group, carboxyl group, primary amine group, secondary amine group, amide group, carbamate group, vinyl group, acrylate group, methacrylate group, maleimide group, fumarate group, sulfonium group, ammonium group, anhydride group, hydroxy alkylamide group, and epoxy group.  
     
   
   
       5 . The golf club of  claim 1 , wherein the particles comprises fumed silica, amorphous silica, colloidal silica, alumina, colloidal alumina, cesium oxide, yttrium oxide, colloidal yttria, zirconia, colloidal zirconia, polyethylene terephthalate, polybutylene terephthalate, polyethylene naphthalate, vinyl esters, epoxy materials, phenolics, aminoplasts, polyurethanes, composite particles of silicon carbide, aluminum nitride coated with silica, or carbonate.  
   
   
       6 . The golf club of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one polysiloxane has a functional group equivalent weight of 50 mg to 1,000 mg per gram of the at least one polysiloxane.  
   
   
       7 . The golf club of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one polysiloxane has a first functional group curable by thermal energy and a second functional group curable by ionizing or actinic radiation.  
   
   
       8 . The golf club of  claim 3 , wherein at least one R 2  comprises an oxyalkylene group or an oxyalkenylene group.  
   
   
       9 . The golf club of  claim 8 , wherein the at least one R 2  further comprises two or more reactive functional groups.  
   
   
       10 . The golf club of  claim 3 , wherein at least one R 2  comprises two or more functional groups selected from the group consisting of hydroxyl group and carbamate group.  
   
   
       11 . The golf club of  claim 3 , wherein n+m is 2 to 9, or n′+m′ is 2 to 9.  
   
   
       12 . The golf club of  claim 3 , wherein at least one X further comprises urethane group, urea group, or ester group.  
   
   
       13 . The golf club of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one polysiloxane contains Si—H, and has an average Si—H functionality of 2 or less.  
   
   
       14 . The golf club of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one reactant is a hydroxyl functional group-containing ally ether.  
   
   
       15 . The golf club of  claim 1 , wherein the club head further comprises a hollow shell and a portion of the club head is coated with the scratch-resistant coating.  
   
   
       16 . The golf club of  claim 1 , wherein the club head comprises a crown and the crown is coated with the scratch-resistant coating.  
   
   
       17 . The golf club of  claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of the club head is made from titanium, titanium alloys, or blends thereof.  
   
   
       18 . A golf club comprises a club head, a shaft coupled to the club head, and a grip coupled to the shaft opposite the club head, wherein at least a portion of the golf club is coated with a scratch-resistant coating, the coating comprising: 
 at least one polysiloxane having at least one functional group;    at least one reactant having at least another functional group that is reactive to the at least one functional group of the at least one polysiloxane; and    a plurality of particles selected from the group consisting of inorganic particles, organic particles, and composite particles,    wherein the coating shows an improvement in scratch resistance, and the plurality of particles have an average particle size such that the coating has a BYK Haze index of less than 50.    
   
   
       19 . The golf club of  claim 18 , wherein the particles has an average particle size of 1-100 nm.  
   
   
       20 . The golf club of  claim 18 , wherein the particles comprises surface-treated particles of alumina or colloidal alumina.