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. The ultra high molecular weight polyhydroxyalkanoate compound is coupled with the at least one non renewable polymer composition by at least one of dipole-dipole coupling, ion-dipole coupling, ion-ion coupling and coupling via hydrogen bonding. In one embodiment, the golf ball comprises about 90 wt % or less of the 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 at least one of the core, the cover and 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, 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 wt % or less of a non renewable polymer composition; 
 wherein the ultra high molecular weight polyhydroxyalkanoate compound is coupled with the at least one non renewable polymer composition by at least one of dipole-dipole coupling, ion-dipole coupling, ion-ion coupling and coupling via hydrogen bonding; 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. 
 
     
     
         2 . The golf ball of  claim 1 , wherein the ultra high molecular weight polyhydroxyalkanoate compound comprises a molecular weight of about 60,000 grams/mole or greater. 
     
     
         3 . 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. 
     
     
         4 . 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. 
     
     
         5 . 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. 
     
     
         6 . The golf ball of  claim 1 , wherein the ultra high molecular weight polyhydroxyalkanoate compound is selected from the group comprising homopolymers of polyhydroxyalkanoate and polyhydroxybutyrate; a copolymer of hydroxybutyric acid and hydroxyvaleric acid; a copolymer of 3-hydroxybutyric acid and 4-hydroxybutyric acid; polyhydroxyoctanoate; a copolymer of 4-hydroxybutyric and 4-hydroxyhexanoic acid; a copolymer of 4-hydroxybutyric acid and 4-hydroxyoctanoic acid; a copolymer of 3-hydroxyoctanoic acid with 3-hydroxybutryic acid; a copolymer of 3-hydroxyhexanoic acid and 3-hydroxybutyric acid; a copolymer containing hydroxyoctonate groups randomly distributed through the polymer chain and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         7 . The golf ball of  claim 1 , wherein the ultra high molecular weight polyhydroxyalkanoate compound further comprises end chain functionalities selected from the group comprising vinyl, carboxylic acid, carboxylic acid ester, anhydride, maleate, malic acid, fumaric acid, acetate; butyrate, propanoate, primary alcohol, secondary alcohol, tertiary alcohol, amide, and polyhydric alcohol. 
     
     
         8 . The golf ball of  claim 1 , wherein R 1 , R 2 , R 3  and R 4  are substantially similar. 
     
     
         9 . The golf ball of  claim 1 , wherein R 1 , R 2 , R 3  and R 4  are different. 
     
     
         10 . The golf ball of  claim 1 , wherein n=500 or greater. 
     
     
         11 . The golf ball of  claim 1 , wherein the core comprises a hardness of from about 30 Shore D to about 50 Shore D. 
     
     
         12 . The golf ball of  claim 1 , wherein the cover comprises a hardness of from about 40 Shore D to about 70 Shore D. 
     
     
         13 . The golf ball of  claim 1 , further comprising at least one renewable resource selected from the group comprising lignin, crop oils, grains, plant derived glucose, yeast, fungi, vegetable oils, canola oils, corn oils, flax, cellulose, fatty acids, animal fats, tallow oils, fish oils, wood resins, tannis, polysaccharides, soy protein, starch, polyesters, polylactic acids, triglycerides, homo- and copolymers of polyhydroxyalkanoates. 
     
     
         14 . The golf ball of  claim 1 , wherein the ultra high molecular weight polyhydroxyalkanoate compound is formed from at least one of monomeric units and oligomeric units selected from the group comprising hydroxybutyrate, hydroxyvalerate, hydroxyhexanoate, hydroxyheptanoate, hydroxyoctanoate, hydroxynonanoate, hydroxydecanoate, hydroxyundecanoate, and hydroxydodecanoate and blends thereof. 
     
     
         15 . The golf ball of  claim 1 , wherein the ultra high molecular weight polyhydroxyalkanoate compound is formed from at least one of monomeric derivatives and oligomeric derivatives selected from the group comprising 2-hydroxyacids, 3-hydroxyacids, 4-hydroxyacids, 5-hydroxyacids, p-lactic acid, and p-glycolic acid and blends there of. 
     
     
         16 . The golf ball of  claim 1 , wherein the non renewable polymer composition comprises a synthetic polymer selected from homo- and copolymers of polyolefin, polyester, polycarbonate, polyamide, polyurethane, polyacrylic, polyimide, epoxy, thermoplastic elastomers and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         17 . The golf ball of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one of the core and the cover further comprises at least one softening agent selected from the group comprising alkyl acrylate, methacrylate, glycidyl acrylate, and glycidyl methacrylate. 
     
     
         18 . The golf ball of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one of the core and the cover further comprises a stiffening/density adjusting agent selected from the group comprising zinc oxide, barium sulfate, tungsten, tungsten oxide, tungsten carbide, glass spheres, carbon or glass reinforced polymers or composites, carbon nanotubes, and blends thereof. 
     
     
         19 . The golf ball of  claim 1 , wherein the renewable polymer composition further comprises a cation selected from the group comprising Li, Na, K, Cs, Mg, Ca, Ba, Mn, Zn, Cs, Zr, Ti, W, and Al. 
     
     
         20 . The golf ball of  claim 1 , further comprising an ester compatibilizer selected from the group comprising a glycidyl ester, a maleic ester and an oligomeric ester. 
     
     
         21 . The golf ball of  claim 20 , wherein the oligomeric ester is selected from the group comprising poly(1,3-butylene glycol-co-1,2-propylene glycol adipic acid) terminated with 2-ethylhexanol, poly(neopentyl glycol-co-1,4-butylene glycol adipic acid) terminated with 2-ethylhexanol, poly(1,3-butylene glycol adipic acid) unterminated, poly(1,3-butylene glycol adipic acid) unterminated, poly(1,2-propylene glycol adipic acid-co-phthahic acid) terminated with 2-ethylhexanol, poly(neopentyl glycol adipic acid) terminated with 2-ethylhexanol, poly(1,2-propylene glycol adipic acid-co-phthalic acid) terminated with 2-ethylhexanol, poly(1,2-propylene glycol-co-1,4-butylene glycol adipic acid) terminated with 2 ethylhexanol, poly(1,3-butylene glycol adipic acid) terminated with mixed fatty acids, poly(1,2-propylene glycol adipic acid) terminated with 2-ethylhexanol, poly(1,2-propylene glycol-co-1,4-butylene glycol adipic acid) terminated with 2-ethylhexanol, poly(1,4-butylene glycol adipic acid), or poly(1,4-butylene glycol-co-ethylene glycol adipic acid). 
     
     
         22 . The golf ball of  claim 1 , comprising a blended composition comprising the renewable polymer composition and at least one thermoplastic material selected from the group comprising ethylene based ionomers, highly neutralized polymers, polyester-ether elastomers, polyester-ester elastomers, polyether-amide elastomers, polyester-amide elastomers, polyurethane elastomers, thermoplastic vulcanized materials, EPDM rubber, EPR rubber, SEBS rubber, copolymers of ethylene-alkyl acrylates, copolymers of methacrylates, glycidyl acrylate copolymers, methacrylate copolymers, maleic anhydride grafted homopolymers, maleic anhydride grafted copolymers and polycaprolactone. 
     
     
         23 . The golf ball of  claim 22 , wherein the blended composition comprises from about 50 wt % to about 95 wt % of the at least one thermoplastic compound. 
     
     
         24 . 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 wt % or less of a non renewable polymer composition; and 
 wherein the ultra high molecular weight polyhydroxyalkanoate compound and the at least one non renewable polymer composition are coupled. 
 
     
     
         25 . 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 wt % or less of a non renewable polymer composition; 
 wherein the ultra high molecular weight polyhydroxyalkanoate compound is associated with the at least one non renewable polymer composition by at least one of dipole-dipole interaction, ion-dipole interaction, ion-ion interaction and hydrogen bonding; 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.