Patent ID: 6391966
Filing Date: 2002-05-21
Classification: A63B,C08F,C08L,H04B

Abstract:
A golf ball having least one layer, the layer formed of a saponified polymer/metallocene catalyzed polymer blend, comprising from about 1 to about 99 parts of at least one saponified polymer and from about 99 to 1 parts of at least one metallocene catalyzed polymer, based on 100 parts by weight of the saponified polymer/metallocene catalyzed polymer blend, wherein the saponified polymer is prepared by a process which comprises:forming a polymer comprising a first olefinic monomeric component having from 2 to 8 carbon atoms and a second monomeric component comprising an unsaturated carboxylic acid based acrylate class ester having from 4 to 22 carbon atoms; applying a sufficient amount of heat to the polymer to convert the polymer to a substantially molten state; forming a mixture by adding an inorganic metal base to the molten polymer, such that the viscosity of the mixture remains substantially unchanged from the viscosity of the molten polymer; and saponifying the mixture to form a saponified polymer, wherein a sufficient amount of the inorganic metal base is added to the molten polymer in forming the mixture to obtain a degree of saponification of the polymer ranging between about 1 and 50 percent.