Golf ball comprising renewable resource component

Abstract

The invention is directed to a golf ball comprising a core and a cover, wherein at least one of the core and the cover comprises about 10 wt % or greater of a renewable polymer composition comprising an ultra high molecular weight polyhydroxyalkanoate compound having the formula: —OCR 1 R 2 (CR 3 R 4 ) n CO— wherein n is an integer, and wherein R 1 , R 2 , R 3 and R 4 are selected from the group comprising saturated and unsaturated hydrocarbon radicals, halo- and hydroxy-substituted radicals, hydroxy radicals, halogen radicals; nitrogen-substituted radicals, oxygen-substituted radicals, or hydrogen atoms. In one embodiment, the golf ball also comprises about 90 wt % or less of a non renewable polymer composition. The golf ball may also comprise an intermediate layer disposed about the core and adjacent the cover, wherein at least one of the core, the cover and the intermediate layer comprises the renewable polymer composition. The renewable polymer composition comprises at least one of a flexural modulus of about 50,000 psi or greater and a tensile strength of about 2,000 psi or greater. The at least one of the core and the cover or the intermediate layer may comprise a hardness of from about 50 Shore C to about 90 Shore C.

1 . A golf ball comprising a core and a cover, wherein at least one of the core and the cover comprises about 10 wt % or greater of a renewable polymer composition comprising an ultra high molecular weight polyhydroxyalkanoate compound having the formula:
   —OCR 1 R 2 (CR 3 R 4 ) n CO—
   wherein n is an integer, and wherein R 1 , R 2 , R 3  and R 4  are selected from the group comprising saturated and unsaturated hydrocarbon radicals, halo- and hydroxy-substituted radicals, hydroxy radicals, halogen radicals; nitrogen-substituted radicals, oxygen-substituted radicals, or hydrogen atoms; and   wherein the renewable polymer composition comprises a flexural modulus of about 50,000 psi or greater.   
     
     
         2 . The golf ball of  claim 1 , wherein the renewable polymer composition comprises an ultra high molecular weight polyhydroxyalkanoate compound having a first flexural modulus FM 1  and a low to medium molecular weight polyhydroxyalkanoate composition having a second flexural modulus FM 2  wherein the ratio of FM 2  to FM 1  is from about 0.1 to about 1. 
     
     
         3 . The golf ball of  claim 1 , wherein the renewable polymer composition consists of 100 wt % of the ultra high molecular weight polyhydroxyalkanoate compound. 
     
     
         4 . The golf ball of  claim 1 , wherein the renewable polymer composition comprises less than 100 wt % of the ultra high molecular weight polyhydroxyalkanoate compound. 
     
     
         5 . The golf ball of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one of the core and the cover further comprises about 90% or less of a non renewable polymer composition. 
     
     
         6 . The golf ball of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one of the core and the cover comprises about 5 wt % or greater of the ultra high molecular weight polyhydroxyalkanoate compound. 
     
     
         7 . The golf ball of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one of the core and the cover comprises about 5 wt % or greater of the renewable polymer composition. 
     
     
         8 . The golf ball of  claim 1 , wherein the renewable polymer composition comprises about 5 wt % or greater of the ultra high molecular weight polyhydroxyalkanoate compound. 
     
     
         9 . The golf ball of  claim 1 , wherein the renewable polymer composition comprises a flexural modulus of about 100,000 psi or greater. 
     
     
         10 . A golf ball comprising a core, a cover, and an intermediate layer disposed about the core and adjacent the cover, wherein at least one of the core, the cover and the intermediate layer comprises:
 about 10 wt % or greater of a renewable polymer composition comprising an ultra high molecular weight polyhydroxyalkanoate compound having the formula:
   —OCR 1 R 2 (CR 3 R 4 ) n CO—
 
   
       wherein n is an integer, and wherein R 1 , R 2 , R 3  and R 4  are selected from the group comprising saturated and unsaturated hydrocarbon radicals, halo- and hydroxy-substituted radicals, hydroxy radicals, halogen radicals; nitrogen-substituted radicals, oxygen-substituted radicals, or hydrogen atoms;
 about 90% or less of a non renewable polymer composition; 
 wherein the renewable polymer composition comprises a tensile strength of about 2,000 psi or greater; and 
 wherein the at least one of the core, the cover and the intermediate layer comprises a hardness of from about 50 Shore C to about 90 Shore C. 
 
     
     
         11 . The golf ball of  claim 10 , wherein the renewable polymer composition comprises an ultra high molecular weight polyhydroxyalkanoate compound having a first tensile strength TS 1  and a low to medium molecular weight polyhydroxyalkanoate composition having a second tensile strength TS 2  wherein the ratio of TS 2  to TS 1  is from about 0.3 to about 1.3. 
     
     
         12 . The golf ball of  claim 10 , wherein the renewable polymer composition consists of 100 wt % of the ultra high molecular weight polyhydroxyalkanoate compound. 
     
     
         13 . The golf ball of  claim 10 , wherein the renewable polymer composition comprises less than 100 wt % of the ultra high molecular weight polyhydroxyalkanoate compound. 
     
     
         14 . The golf ball of  claim 10 , wherein the core comprises a first hardness of from about 10 Shore D to about 50 Shore D and the cover comprises a second hardness of from about 30 Shore D to about 70 Shore D wherein the ratio of the second hardness to the first hardness is about 3 or greater. 
     
     
         15 . The golf ball of  claim 10 , wherein the renewable polymer composition further comprises an ester compatibilizer selected from the group comprising a glycidyl ester, a maleic ester and an oligomeric ester. 
     
     
         16 . A golf ball comprising a core, a cover, and an intermediate layer disposed about the core and adjacent the cover, wherein at least one of the core, the cover and the intermediate layer comprises:
 about 10 wt % or greater of a renewable polymer composition comprising an ultra high molecular weight polyhydroxyalkanoate compound having the formula:
   —OCR 1 R 2 (CR 3 R 4 ) n CO—
 
   
       wherein n is an integer, and wherein R 1 , R 2 , R 3  and R 4  are selected from the group comprising saturated and unsaturated hydrocarbon radicals, halo- and hydroxy-substituted radicals, hydroxy radicals, halogen radicals; nitrogen-substituted radicals, oxygen-substituted radicals, or hydrogen atoms;
 about 90% or less of a non renewable polymer composition; and 
 
       wherein the renewable polymer composition comprises a tensile strength of about 2,000 psi or greater. 
     
     
         17 . The golf ball of  claim 16 , wherein the renewable polymer composition comprises an ultra high molecular weight polyhydroxyalkanoate compound having a first tensile strength TS 1  and a low to medium molecular weight polyhydroxyalkanoate composition having a second tensile strength TS 2  wherein the ratio of TS 2  to TS 1  is from about 0.3 to about 1.3. 
     
     
         18 . The golf ball of  claim 16 , wherein the renewable polymer composition consists of 100 wt % of the ultra high molecular weight polyhydroxyalkanoate compound. 
     
     
         19 . The golf ball of  claim 16 , wherein the renewable polymer composition comprises less than 100 wt % of the ultra high molecular weight polyhydroxyalkanoate compound. 
     
     
         20 . The golf ball of  claim 16 , wherein the core comprises a first hardness of from about 10 Shore D to about 50 Shore D and the cover comprises a second hardness of from about 30 Shore D to about 70 Shore D wherein the ratio of the second hardness to the first hardness is about 3 or greater.