Polyurethane thickeners in latex compositions

A latex composition containing an emulsion polymer and from about 0.1 to about 10% by weight based on emulsion polymer solids of a thickener selected from polymers of Groups A, B and C as follows:

• Group A:
• A-B.sub.p -E.sub.q B-E).sub.n Br-E.sub.t -A
• where
• each of p, q, r, and t independently is zero or 1;
• at least one of q and r is 1, t is zero when r is zero, and n is at least 1;
• provided that,
• when q is 1, then
• a. each of p, r and t is zero;
• or
• b. p is zero and each of r and t is 1;
• or
• c. t is zero and each of r and p is 1;
• and when q is zero, then r is 1 and each of p and t is zero;
• Group B:
• [H-E-OCH.sub.2 ].sub.s L[Q.sub.v -D.sub.u -E-A).sub.w R.sub.z ].sub.m
• where
• L is X, Y or --O--, Q is -CH.sub.2 C.tbd., D is --CH.sub.2 O--, m is 2-4, s is zero to 2, the sum of m and s is 2-4, w is 1-3, and each of u, v and z independently is zero or 1;
• and
• where X is a hydrocarbon radical containing at least 1 carbon atom;
• and Y is a trivalent radical selected from -OCONH(CH.sub.2).sub.6 N[CONH(CH.sub.2).sub.6 NHCO-O].sub.2, CH.sub.3 C[CH.sub.2 O-OCNHC.sub.7 H.sub.6 NHCO].sub.3 and CH.sub.3 CH.sub.2 C[CH.sub.2 O-OCNHC.sub.7 H.sub.6 NHCO].sub.3 ;
• provided that,
• a. when L is X, then u and w are each 1, v and z are each zero, m is at least 2, and the sum of m and s is 4;
• b. when L is Y, then u, v and s are each zero, m is 3, w is 2-3, and z is zero or 1;
• and
• c. when L is -O-, then v and u are each 1, w is 1-3, m is 2 and each of s and z is zero;
• and
• where, in each of the polymers of Groups A and B:
• A and R are hydrophobic organic radicals;
• B is a divalent hydrophobic group of the structure ##STR11## where G is the residue of an organic di- or triisocyanate, said residue having no remaining unreacted isocyanate groups;
• and E is a divalent, hydrophilic, nonionic polyether group;
• Group C:
• A composition prepared by reacting a) a polyfunctional reactant selected from an organic polyol having at least three hydroxyl groups, an organic polyisocyanate having at least three isocyanate groups, and mixtures thereof;
• b) a difunctional reactant selected from an organic diol, an organic diisocyanate, and mixtures thereof, said diol being present in the reaction mixture when said polyisocyanate is present and said diisocyanate being present when said polyol is present;
• c) a monofunctional hydroxyl or amino compound is an amount sufficient to cap any unreacted isocyanate remaining from the reaction of reactants a) and b) and to prevent gelation of the reaction mixture;
• and optionally d) an organic monoisocyanate to cap hydroxyl groups remaining from the reaction of reactants a) and b);
• wherein at least one of said polyol and diol contains at least one water soluble polyether segment of at least 1500 molecular weight, and wherein the sum of the carbon atoms in said isocyanate-containing reactants, said hydroxyl compound and said amino compound is at least 20 and the average molecular weight of the components of the composition is about 10,000-2000,000.