Process for forming an aqueous dispersion of copolymers, an adhesive composition including such copolymers, a film or an article comprising the same, and a method of coating a substrate

A process for forming an aqueous dispersion of copolymers, comprising:

• providing a copolymerizable composition in water, the copolymerizable composition including
• a) 5 to 95% by weight of ethylenically functionalized silicone polymers or silanes, which is based on the total weight of the copolymerizable composition, and
• b) 5% or more by weight of organic acrylic monomers, which is based on the total weight of the copolymerizable composition;
• providing 0.1 to 10 wt % of a polymerizable surfactant, which is based on the total weight of the ethylenically functionalized silicone polymers or silanes and organic acrylic monomers;
• forming a miniemulsion comprising organic droplets, wherein the organic droplets comprise the ethylenically functionalized silicone polymers or silanes, organic acrylic monomers, and polymerizable surfactant;
• polymerizing the ethylenically functionalized silicone polymers or silanes and the organic acrylic monomers, in the presence of the polymerizable surfactant and water, to form an aqueous dispersion of copolymers,
• wherein the aqueous dispersion of copolymers comprises a solids content of 40 wt % or more, based on the total weight of the aqueous dispersion, and the copolymers exhibit a glass transition temperature (Tg) of 0 to −100° C., the Tg being determined by differential scanning calorimetry with a heating rate of 10° K per minute according to DIN 53765, pierced crucible.