Abstract: Ethylene/(meth)acrylic acid ionomers which have been modified with relatively low levels of a stearic acid moiety, particularly metal stearates and especially calcium stearate have improved resilience for a given level of hardness or PGA Compression values. The improvement is seen in bulk material when measurements are made on solid neat spheres. When used as cover material, the improvement is more manifest for softer material, and is less, or disappears, for typical mixed metal ionomer hard covers. The stearic-modified ionomers or ionomer blends are especially useful when the ionomer is formulated for use as a golf ball core, center, one-piece ball and as a soft golf ball cover. For covers, softer ionomer compositions will show an improvement.

Abstract: This invention relates to high temperature, semi-crystalline, semi-aromatic nylon terpolymers with improved shrinkage resistance, made from terephthalic acid (TA), hexamethylene diamine (HMD) and/or 2-methyl pentamethylene diamine (2-MPMD) and another aliphatic dicarboxylic acid as monomers. These polymers display superior % TD (Transverse Direction) annealing shrinkage, as well as very good balance of mechanical performance as high temperature nylons.

Abstract: Ionomers based on ethylene/unsaturated carboxylic acid copolymers are modified with from 0.5 to 15 weight percent adipic acid. The modified-ionomers have improved melt flow and melt processing behavior over unmodified ionomers having a comparable level of neutralization of acid groups present. Certain mechanical properties are improved, particularly stiffness, abrasion resistance and low temperature izod impact. The ionomers modified with adipic acid are in particular suitable for balata ball replacement when formulated as golf ball cover compositions and covers.