Acrylic polymers, aqueous polymeric dispersions prepared therefrom, and curable film-forming compositions prepared therefrom

An acrylic polymer prepared from a reaction mixture comprising:

• (i) an ethylenically unsaturated monomer comprising hydroxyl functional groups, present in the reaction mixture in an amount of 10 to 40 percent by weight, based on the total weight of the reaction mixture;
• (ii) an ethylenically unsaturated monomer comprising polydialkylsiloxane groups, present in the reaction mixture in an amount of 2 to 10 percent by weight, based on the total weight of the reaction mixture;
• (iii) an ethylenically unsaturated monomer comprising carboxylic acid functional groups or amine functional groups, present in the reaction mixture in an amount of 5 to 30 percent by weight, based on the total weight of the reaction mixture;
• and
• (iv) a reactive diluent that is reactive with the ethylenically unsaturated monomer (iii), present in the reaction mixture in an amount of 20 to 60 percent by weight, based on the total weight of the reaction mixture;
• wherein the reactive diluent (iv) is present initially in the reaction mixture as a medium in which the monomers polymerize.