Nanocrystalline cellulose as an additive in golf balls

Abstract

The present invention is directed to a golf ball and, more particularly, a golf ball having a polybutadiene based core, a cover disposed about the core, and optionally an intermediate layer disposed between the core and the cover. In one embodiment, at least one or more portions of the core, cover, or intermediate layer comprises a blend of thermoplastic or thermoset material and about 1 to 10 pphr of a nanocrystalline cellulose material.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A golf ball, comprising:
 a polybutadiene based core; and   a cover disposed about the core;   wherein at least one or more portions of the cover comprising a nano-cellulose material.   
     
     
         2 . The golf ball of  claim 1 , wherein the nano-cellulose material is nanocrystalline cellulose material. 
     
     
         3 . The golf ball of  claim 1 , wherein the core comprises:
 a rubber based compound comprising cis-1,4 polybutadiene rubber;   a crosslinking agent comprising a metallic salt of unsaturated carboxylic acid in an amount between 10 to 50 parts per hundred of rubber; and   a peroxide initiator.   
     
     
         4 . The golf ball of  claim 1 , wherein the cover comprises a blend of thermoplastic or thermoset material. 
     
     
         5 . The golf ball of  claim 3 , wherein the cover comprises about 1 to 10 pphr of the nanocrystalline cellulose material. 
     
     
         6 . The golf ball of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 an intermediate layer disposed between the core and the cover, wherein at least one or more portions of the cover or intermediate layer comprises a blend of thermoplastic or thermoset material and about 1 to 10 pphr of a nanocrystalline cellulose material.   
     
     
         7 . The golf ball of  claim 1 , wherein the cover comprises the nanocrystalline cellulose material and is an outer core layer, an inner cover layer, or an outer cover layer. 
     
     
         8 . The golf ball of  claim 1 , further comprising a coating comprising the nanocyrstalline cellulose material. 
     
     
         9 . The golf ball of  claim 1 , wherein the nanocrystalline cellulose material has a length from about 100 to 120 nm. 
     
     
         10 . The golf ball of  claim 9 , wherein the length of the nanocrystalline cellulose material is about 110 nm. 
     
     
         11 . The golf ball of  claim 1 , wherein the nanocrystalline cellulose material has a diameter about 5 to 15 nm. 
     
     
         12 . The golf of  claim 11 , wherein the diameter of the nanocrystalline cellulose material has a diameter of about 10 nm. 
     
     
         13 . The golf ball of  claim 1 , wherein the nanocrystalline cellulose material has a tensile strength of about 7,000 to 14,000 MPa. 
     
     
         14 . The golf ball of  claim 13 , wherein the tensile strength of the nanocrystalline cellulose material is about 10,000 MPa. 
     
     
         15 . The golf ball of  claim 1 , wherein the nanocrystalline cellulose material has an elastic modulus from about 125 to 175 GPa. 
     
     
         16 . The golf ball of  claim 15 , wherein the elastic modulus of the nanocrystalline cellulose material is about 150 GPa. 
     
     
         17 . A golf ball, comprising:
 a polybutadiene based core;   an intermediate layer disposed between the core and a cover, the intermediate layer comprises nanocrystalline cellulose material.   
     
     
         18 . The golf ball of  claim 17 , wherein the intermediate layer comprises a blend of thermoplastic or thermoset material. 
     
     
         19 . The golf ball of  claim 17 , wherein the intermediate layer comprises about 1 to 10 pphr of the nanocrystalline cellulose material. 
     
     
         20 . A method of manufacturing a golf ball, comprising: providing at least one or more portions of the cover or intermediate layer comprising a nanocrystalline cellulose material.