Acrylic dispersions with multi-functional acrylates for uv-cure coatings

A method of making a ultraviolet (UV) curing aqueous coating composition comprising:

• a) polymerizing in organic solvent a monomer mixture of i) from 47 wt. % to 100 wt. %, based on the total weight of monomer solids in the monomer mixture, of one or more C1 to C3 alkyl acrylate monomer, ii) from 2.25 to 8 wt. %, based on the total weight of monomer solids in the monomer mixture, of an ethylenically unsaturated acid functional monomer, and iii) the remainder of one or more vinyl monomer, to form an acrylic solution polymer having acid functional groups and having a number average molecular weight of from 3,500 to 50,000 g/mole, and neutralizing at least a portion of the acid functional groups in the acrylic solution polymer to form a neutralized acrylic solution polymer,
• b) combining the neutralized acrylic solution polymer with a multi-ethylenically unsaturated acrylate composition comprising one or more monomer, oligomer or a mixture thereof, such that the monomer composition has an average of from 3.2 to 10 ethylenically unsaturated groups and such that the oligomer or mixture thereof composition has on average from 3.2 to 20 ethylenically unsaturated groups, in the amount of from 20 to 80 wt. %, based on the total weight of the acrylic solution polymer solids and multi-ethylenically unsaturated acrylate composition solids, to form an organic mixture, and,
• c) dispersing the organic mixture in water to form an aqueous dispersion of multi-ethylenically unsaturated acrylate composition imbibed acrylic solution polymer particles.