E.i. Dupont De Nemours and Company

Nike, Inc.

Feng Tay Enterprises Co., Ltd.

Other

Nike Innovate C.v.

John Chu Chen

Sam Louis Samuels

Robert J Statz

Donna Lynn Visioli

John Francis Hagman

Ashok H Shah

Arnold Frances

Royce Elton Ennis

Matthew Scott Hall

Anita N DiAndreth

Richard T Chou

Peter Arnold Morken

Don Mayo Coates

I-Hwa Lee

Karlheinz Hausmann

Barry Alan Morris

David J Walsh

Carl K McMillin

Janice V Granato

Han Il Lee

Robert Joseph Statz

A cured elastomer golf ball component is made by heating an elastomer compound containing an ethylenically unsaturated elastomer, an ethylenically unsaturated monomer, and first and second free radical initiators to a first crosslinking temperature Tin a compression mold and partially crosslinking the elastomer, then heating to a second crosslinking temperature Tand curing the elastomer component of the golf ball. Either: (i) the first initiator has a half-life of about 0.2-5 minutes at T, the second initiator has a half-life of about 0.2-5 minutes at T, and Tis higher Tby at least about 30&#xb0; C.; or (ii) the second initiator's one-minute half-life temperature is at least about 30&#xb0; C. higher than the first initiator's one-minute half-life temperature, Tis within about 20&#xb0; C. of the first initiator's one-minute half-life temperature, and Tis within about 20&#xb0; C. of the second initiator's one-minute half-life temperature.

Method of forming a cured elastomer and golf balls

Method of forming a cured elastomer and articles of the cured elastomer

A method for making a thermoplastic material includes: (a) partially crosslinking an elastomer composition at a first crosslinking temperature to form a thermoplastic, partially crosslinked elastomer composition; (b) mixing a thermoplastic polymer composition with the thermoplastic, partially crosslinked elastomer composition and heating the mixture to a second crosslinking temperature higher than the first crosslinking temperature, wherein the thermoplastic polymer composition is liquid at the second crosslinking temperature; and (c) continuously mixing the mixture while further crosslinking the elastomer composition to form a thermoplastic material having a dispersed phase of crosslinked elastomer composition in the thermoplastic polymer composition. The elastomer composition may include an elastomer compounded with a curing agent and optionally additional components. A thermoplastic material resulting from this process may be molded or shaped by any method used for forming thermoplastic materials into articles, such as molding, extrusion, or thermoforming.

Dynamically crosslinked thermoplastic material process

A golf ball comprises a dynamically crosslinked thermoplastic material prepared by a method including: (a) partially crosslinking a rubber composition of a rubber polymer and two free radical initiators at a first crosslinking temperature to form a thermoplastic, partially crosslinked elastomer composition; (b) mixing a thermoplastic polymer composition with the thermoplastic, partially crosslinked rubber composition and heating the mixture to a second crosslinking temperature higher than the first crosslinking temperature and at which the thermoplastic polymer composition is liquid; and (c) continuously mixing the mixture while further crosslinking the rubber composition to form a thermoplastic material having a dispersed phase of crosslinked rubber composition in the thermoplastic polymer composition.

A selectively permeable protective structure and a method for limiting damage to the article due to corrosion or mold growth, comprising wrapping or covering the article in the selectively permeable protective structure. The selectively permeable structure comprises a membrane having a moisture vapor permeation value of at least 200 g-mil/m/24 h and barrier to liquid water, and optionally a supporting substrate.

Selectively permeable protective structure and articles therefrom

A method of forming a golf ball includes forming a pair of thermoplastic hemispherical shells from an elastomer compound including an elastomer and first, second, and third free radical initiators, with the elastomer being pre-crosslinked to a first crosslinking density, then positioning a spherical component between the hemispherical shells and compression molding and curing the hemispherical shells to a second crosslinking density around the spherical component. The method uses three different crosslinking temperatures.

A method for making a thermoplastic material includes: (a) introducing into an extruder an elastomer composition including an ethylenically unsaturated elastomer polymer, a first free radical initiator, and a second free radical initiator; (b) in a first zone of the extruder, heating and partially crosslinking the elastomer composition at a first crosslinking temperature to form a thermoplastic, partially crosslinked elastomer composition; (c) introducing into the extruder in a second zone downstream of the first zone a thermoplastic polymer composition; (d) mixing and heating the thermoplastic polymer composition and the thermoplastic, partially crosslinked elastomer composition to a second crosslinking temperature higher than the first crosslinking temperature, wherein the thermoplastic polymer composition is liquid at the second crosslinking temperature; and (e) mixing and further crosslinking the elastomer composition to form a thermoplastic material having a dispersed phase of the crosslinked elastomer composition in the thermoplastic polymer composition.

Disclosed is a variable vapor barrier comprising or produced from a composition wherein the composition comprises an ethylene copolymer, a fatty acid, and an additional polymer; the ethylene copolymer comprises repeat units derived from ethylene, a C&#x3b1;,&#x3b2;-ethylenically unsaturated carboxylic acid, and optionally a comonomer; the fatty acid is one or more carboxylic acids having fewer than 36 carbon atoms, or salts thereof; and the additional polymer is present in the from about 30 to about 85%, based on the weight of the composition.

Compositions and structures having tailored water vapor transmission

A method for preparing a multilayer package comprising a substrate and a composition having a moisture vapor permeation value of at least 200 g-mil/m/24h and barrier to liquid water. The method comprises melt blending an organic acid-modified ionomer with an ethylene-containing copolymer and a copolymer comprising a dicarboxylic acid derivative as a comonomer to provide a composition and applying the composition to the substrate in a molten condition and allowing the composition to cool and solidify.

Method for preparing a selectively permeable protective structure

Disclosed are golf balls having soft, resilient bimodal ionomeric covers with improved softness and scuff resistance and methods for their preparation. The soft, resilient bimodal ionomeric covers comprise at least partially neutralized mixtures of carboxylate functionalized terpolymers (molecular weight between about 80,000 and 500,000) with carboxylate functionalized ethylene low copolymers (molecular weight between about 2,000 and 30,000).

Golf balls with soft, resilient bimodal ionomeric covers

Provided is a method for increasing the melt flow of a composition comprising a mixture of high molecular weight carboxylate functionalized ethylene copolymers (Mw between 80,000 and 500,000 Da) with low molecular weight carboxylate functionalized ethylene copolymers (Mw between 2,000 and 30,000 Da), wherein the carboxylic acid groups are at least partially neutralized to form salts containing zinc cations. The method comprises melt mixing the composition with ionomers containing cations other than zinc. Also disclosed are trimodal compositions comprising high molecular weight terpolymers, high molecular weight dipolymers and low molecular weight dipolymers wherein the carboxylic acid groups are at least partially neutralized to salts containing zinc cations and non-zinc cations. The compositions are used in films, multilayer structures and other articles of manufacture.

Method for increasing melt flow of a bimodal ionomer composition

A phase transition golf ball comprises a phase transition material. The phase transition material may optionally include a microwave susceptor or an induction susceptor. The phase transition material preferably comprises an ethylene acid copolymer, or an ionomer of an ethylene acid copolymer. The performance of the phase transition golf ball, for example its hardness or compression, is adjusted by inducing a complete or partial phase transition in the phase transition material. The extent of the adjustment in performance is correlated with the extent of the phase transition. Preferably, the phase transition is reversible and repeatable and takes place at temperatures that might be achieved through the use of common household appliances. Also preferably, the phase transition material returns to its original state over an extended period, for example hours or days.

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Hockessin, DE, United States of America

John Chu Chen