One-package aqueous latices containing alkaline-curable self-crosslinking polymers

Claim 1

A shelf-stable, curable, one-package latex which consists essentially of a dispersion of an alkaline-curable, self-crosslinking emulsion polymer in water and a salt of an organic acid having the formula ##STR9## where R is H or a C 1 -C 6 straight or branched chain alkyl or C 2 -C 6 alkenyl, M is an alkali, alkaline earth, or heavy metal, and n is the valence number of M; the self-crosslinking polymer comprising about 90-99.9% by weight of a vinyl polymerizable monomer selected from the group consisting of a vinyl ester of an up to C 6 saturated aliphatic monocarboxylic acid; an ester of acrylic or methacrylic acid with a C 1 -C 18 alcohol; an acrylamide, methacrylamide, or N-substituted derivative thereof; a vinyl ether; a N-vinyl lactam; a halogenated vinyl compound; an alkyl vinyl ketone; a diester of an α,β-unsaturated dicarboxylic acid; an allyl or methallyl ester of a saturated aliphatic monocarboxylic acid; a vinyl pyrrole, styrene, and an olefin; and about 0.1-10% by weight of a polymerizable cationic or non-ionic self-crosslinking monomer selected from the group consisting of a cationic quarternary ammonium monomer having the formula ##STR10## and a nonionic monomer having the formula ##STR11## where R 1 and R 5 are hydrogen or a methyl group; A is --O-- or ##STR12## with R 4 being hydrogen or a C 1 -C 3 alkyl group; R 2 and R 3 are independently a C 1 -C 6 alkyl group; X is a halogen; Y is an anion; and n is 1-4; the salt being present in an amount effective to cure the polymer, with or without the application of heat, after application of the dispersion and removal of the water therefrom.