| abstract |
a) at least one ethylenically unsaturated carboxylic acid-containing monomer or anhydride thereof, b) optionally at least one ethylenically unsaturated monomer that is different from but copolymerizable with a), and c) at least 2 A process for preparing a composition by free radical polymerization of a monomer composition comprising at least one crosslinkable monomer containing one ethylenically unsaturated group. The monomer composition is polymerized in an organic medium that has a dissolving effect on one or more of the monomeric components, but has substantially no effect on the resulting polymer. This polymerization comprises a free radical forming catalyst and a copolymerizable monomer selected from vinyl lactam and a short chain alkyl ester of (meth) acrylic acid, a long chain alkyl ester of (meth) acrylic acid, and combinations thereof. Carried out in the presence of at least one steric stabilizing polymer polymerized from |