Process for the preparation of non-aqueous dispersion coatings

The method of preparing a storage stable, pigmented, non-aqueous dispersed polymer coating composition comprising:

• a. preparing a volatile organic solvent solution containing 40 to 60% by weight of a stabilizer copolymer consisting essentially of
• A. 40 to 70% of at least one solubilizing monomer of the group consisting of alkyl and cycloalkyl esters of acrylic and methacrylic acids and alcohols wherein the alkyl or cycloalkyl groups contain 4 or more carbon atoms,
• B. 15 to 20% by weight of a reactive group containing monomer of the group consisting of hydroxyethyl, hydroxypropyl and glycidyl esters of acrylic and methacrylic acids,
• C. 0.5 to 1.5% by weight of an .alpha., .beta.-unsaturated carboxylic acid and
• D. 15 to 20% by weight of styrene or a derivative of styrene and by copolymerizing (A), (B), (C) and (D) in a volatile solvent comprised predominantly of aliphatic hydrocarbons having a boiling point in the range of 130.degree. to 140.degree. C.
• b. forming a composition comprising a dispersion of copolymer in the solution of stabilizer copolymer of (a) by copolymerizing a monomer mixture in said solution, said monomer mixture consisting of
• 1. 10 to 30% by weight of a reactive group containing monomer of the group consisting of hydroxyethyl, hydroxypropyl and glycidyl esters of acrylic and methacrylic acids,
• 2. 0 to 3% by weight of an .alpha., .beta.-unsaturated carboxylic acid,
• 3. 30 to 80% by weight of a lower alkyl ester of acrylic or methacrylic acid and
• 4. 0 to 50% by weight of styrene or a derivative of styrene,
• and the total solids in said composition consists of 50-90% by weight of dispersed copolymer and 10 to 50% by weight of dissolved polymer and
• c. mixing the dispersion obtained in (b) with pigment and aminoplast resin to obtain paint composition containing 30 to 50 % solids with a resin to pigment ratio of from about 50 to 1 to about 3.5 to 1.