Elimination of film defects due to hydrogen evolution during cathodic electrodeposition

An electrophoretically depositable polymer composition comprising an aqueous solution or emulsion of at least one polymer and a compound reduced by hydrogen produced during said deposition, wherein said compound reduced by hydrogen is selected from the group consisting of:

• compounds characterized by the formula ##STR2## wherein R.sub.1 is hydrogen, or a C.sub.1 -C.sub.10 alkyl group, R.sub.2 is hydrogen, a C.sub.1 -C.sub.10 alkyl group, an aromatic hydrocarbon group of hydroxyl substituted C.sub.1 -C.sub.10 alkyl group and R.sub.3 is hydrogen, a C.sub.1 -C.sub.10 alkyl group, an aromatic hydrocarbon group, or a hydroxyl substituted C.sub.1 -C.sub.10 alkyl group and when R.sub.1 and R.sub.2 are both hydrogen, R.sub.3 is hydrogen, a C.sub.1 -C.sub.10 alkyl group, an aromatic hydrocarbon group, or a hydroxyl substituted C.sub.1 -C.sub.10 alkyl group, when R.sub.1 is hydrogen and R.sub.2 is a C.sub.1 -C.sub.10 alkyl group or an aromatic hydrocarbon group, R.sub.3 is a C.sub.1 -C.sub.10 alkyl group, an aromatic hydrocarbon group, or a hydroxyl substituted C.sub.2 -C.sub.10 alkyl group, when R.sub.1 is hydrogen and R.sub.2 is a hydroxyl substituted C.sub.1 -C.sub.10 alkyl group, R.sub.3 is a hydroxyl substituted C.sub.1 -C.sub.10 alkyl group, when R.sub.1 is a C.sub.1 -C.sub.10 alkyl group and R.sub.2 is a C.sub.1 -C.sub.10 alkyl group or a hydroxyl substituted C.sub.1 -C.sub.10 alkyl group, R.sub.3 is a hydroxyl substituted C.sub.1 -C.sub.10 alkyl group;
• nitrobenzene, nitrobenzene substituted with hydroxyl groups, C.sub.1 -C.sub.10 alkyl groups, or hydroxyl substituted C.sub.1 -C.sub.10 alkyl groups, furan and furan substituted with hydroxyl groups, C.sub.1 -C.sub.10 alkyl groups, or hydroxyl substituted C.sub.1 -C.sub.10 alkyl groups.