Process for preparing aqueous dispersions

1. A process for preparing an aqueous polymer dispersion, by

a) preparing an initial charge of an aqueous emulsion of a long chain alkyl alcohol or a seed latex by polymerization of an alkyl (meth)acrylate in an aqueous medium comprising an emulsifier to a seed particle radius ranging from 3.0 to 20.0 nm

b) adding from 25.0 to 45.0 parts by weight of a first composition comprising:

A) from 50.0 to 99.9 parts by weight of an alkyl (meth)acrylate having from 1 to 20 carbon atoms in the alkyl radical,

B) from 0.0 to 40.0 parts by weight of an alkyl acrylate having from 1 to 20 carbon atoms in the alkyl radical,

C) from 0.1 to 10.0 parts by weight of a crosslinking monomer, and

D) from 0.0 to 8.0 parts by weight of a styrenic monomer of the formula (I)

where each of the radicals R 1 to R 5 , independently of the others, is hydrogen, a halogen, a C 1-6 -alkyl group or a C 2-6 -alkenyl group, and the radical R 6 is hydrogen or an alkyl group having from 1 to 6 carbon atoms, emulsified in water with an emulsifier, to said aqueous emulsion or seed latex, and

polymerizing the added monomers to a conversion of at least 85.0% by weight, based on the total weight of components A), B), C) and D),

c) adding from 35.0 to 55.0 parts by weight of a second composition comprising

E) from 80.0 to 100.0 parts by weight of a (meth)acrylate,

F) from 0.05 to 10.0 parts by weight of a crosslinking monomer, and

G) from 0.0 to 20.0 parts by weight of a styrenic monomer of the formula (I), emulsified in water with an emulsifier, to the aqueous polymer emulsion of step (b), and

polymerizing the added monomers to a conversion of at least 85.0% by weight, based on the total weight of components E), F) and G),

d) adding from 10.0 to 30.0 parts by weight of a third composition comprising:

H) from 50.0 to 100.0 parts by weight of an alkyl (meth)acrylate having from 1 to 20 carbon atoms in the alkyl radical,

I) from 0.0 to 40.0 parts by weight of an alkyl acrylate having from 1 to 20 carbon atoms in the alkyl radical, and

J) from 0.0 to 10.0 parts by weight of a styrenic monomer of the formula (I), emulsified in water with an emulsifier, to the aqueous polymer emulsion of step (c),

and polymerizing to a conversion of at least 85.0% by weight, based on the total weight of components H), I) and J),

where the parts by weight given for the compositions b), c) and d) give a total of 100.0 parts by weight,

wherein

e) each polymerization is carried out at a temperature in the range from above 60 to below 90° C. and

f) the relative proportions of all of the substances are selected in such a way that the total weight of components A) to J), based on the total weight of the aqueous dispersion, is greater than 50.0% by weight, the product particles have a particle size ranging from 150 to less than 250 nm, and the amount of coagulate in the dispersion is 0.1% or less by wt, based on the total weight of the dispersion.

2. The process according to claim 1 , wherein the initial charge comprises from 90.00 to 99.99 parts by weight of water and from 0.01 to 10.00 parts by weight of emulsifier, where the parts by weight of said amounts give a total of 100.00 parts by weight.

3. The process according to claim 1 , wherein said emulsifier is an anionic or nonionic emulsifier.

4. The process according to claim 1 , wherein said initial charge is said seed latex.

5. The process according to claim 1 , wherein a seed latex whose particle radius, measured by the Coulter method, is in the range from 5.0 to 20.0 nm is used to form an initial charge.

6. The process according to claim 1 , wherein said initial charge is an aqueous emulsion of said long chain alkyl alcohol having from 12 to 20 carbon atoms in the alkyl radical.

7. The process according to claim 1 , wherein the polymerization in steps b) to d) is initiated with a peroxodisulphate.

8. The process according to claim 7 , wherein the peroxidisulphate is ammonium and/or alkali metal peroxodisulphate.

9. The process according to claim 1 , wherein the relative proportions of all of the substances are selected in such a way that core-shell particles are obtained with an overall radius, measured by the Coulter method, in the range from 150.0 to less than 250.0 nm.

10. The process according to claim 1 , wherein the second and the third monomer mixture are metered in as required by consumption.