Surfactant free aqueous emulsions

This invention relates to aqueous copolymer compositions and in particular to self-stabilized aqueous copolymer emulsions. The aqueous copolymer compositions are stabilized by block and/or graft copolymers derived from the copolymerization of a water soluble or dispersible macromonomer with a monomer or blend which is water insoluble. Emulsions are disclosed which contain (a) an aqueous carrier and (b) a polymer mixture of (1) 40-99.5% by weight of a copolymer with a weight average molecular weight of at least 3000; and (2) 0.5-60% by weight of a stabilizing copolymer dispersed in water, wherein the stabilizing copolymer comprises a structured polymer having a hydrophobic portion and a hydrophilic portion, wherein said structured polymer is selected from the group consisting of (i) polymers comprising 5-95% by weight of a hydrophilic macromonomer having at least 10% of an acid functional monomer and 5-95% by weight of at least one hydrophobic monomer polymerized in the presence of the macromonomer; and (ii) polymers comprising 5-95% by weight of a hydrophobic macromonomer and 5-95% by weight of hydrophilic copolymer comprising at least 10% of an acid functional monomer polymerized in the presence of the macromonomer.