DuPont, Nike replace butadiene with TPE in golf balls

ERJ staff report (DS)

Wilmington, Delaware - DuPont has partnered with Nike Golf for to create a golf ball care made from a thermoplastic elastomer. Niker claims the core adds distance, straightens shots and improves control.

The resin formulation in Nike Golf's 20XI ball is based on DuPont HPF ionomer technology. In addition to advanced performance, the resin technology also offers the potential for improved sustainability in golf as up to 40 percent of the core material's weight is from renewably sourced content.

DuPont said, "The family of DuPont HPF resins offers a combination of high resilience and low compression [set] previously reserved to thermoset polybutadiene rubbers, yet the HPF resins remain thermoplastic and can be injection moulded into any layer of the golf ball core."

Rock Isshi, Nike Golf's product development director for golf balls, said, ""I have never been more excited about a new golf ball innovation than I am now. For many years, golf ball development has primarily been focused on the number of layers with a solid rubber core. We believe that there wasn't really anywhere else to go as far as technology advancement in these areas, and felt that the next window of opportunity was in the exploration of various materials for the core."

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Press release from DuPont

HPF ionomer technology from DuPont