Poly(vinyl alcohol)-g-polyethylene graft emulsion copolymers

Aqueous based graft emulsion copolymers comprising a polymer having a plurality of hydroxyl groups, preferably a vinyl alcohol homo- or copolymer, grafted with a polyethylene. The graft emulsion copolymer can be prepared by polymerizing ethylene and, optionally another ethylenically unsaturated monomer, in an aqueous solution of a polymer having a plurality of pendent hydroxyl groups, especially poly(vinyl alcohol). The graft emulsion copolymer product can have a polyethylene content ranging from 50 to 95 wt %, hydroxyl-containing polymer ranging from 5 to 50 wt %, and up to 45 wt % of another polymerized ethylenically unsaturated monomer. Polymerization is carried out in an aqueous solution containing at least 5 wt %, preferably 10 wt %, of a hydroxyl-containing polymer having a degree of polymerization of 50 to 2200, preferably 100 to 500.