Water-borne low adhesion backsize and release coating compositions, methods of making the compositions, and sheet materials coated therewith

A method of preparing a coated sheet material comprising the steps of:

• a) forming a mixture comprising the following:
• (1) about 5 to about 70 weight percent of a melted free radically polymerizable free radically polymerizable long-chain monomer of the formula
• C.sub.n H.sub.2n+1 --P--C.sub.m H.sub.2m --X--CR.sup.1 .dbd.CH.sub.2
• wherein
• n is an integer of about 12 to about 20;
• Y is a divalent polar linking group selected from the group consisting of ##STR8## X is a divalent linking group selected from the group consisting of ##STR9## m is an integer of about 2 to about 10;
• and R.sup.1 is selected from the group consisting of --H and --CH.sub.3 ;
• (2) about 30 to about 95 weight percent of deionized water;
• and
• (3) about 0.05 to about 4 weight percent of an emulsifier;
• b) homogenizing the mixture in order to form an emulsion;
• c) adding to said emulsion about 0.01 to about 1 weight percent of a free radical initiator capable of initiating free radical polymerization of said monomer upon being subjected to a means of initiation;
• d) initiating free-radical polymerization by subjecting said emulsion to a means of initiation while agitating said emulsion under inert atmospheric conditions;
• e) sustaining said free-radical polymerization until a polymer-containing latex is produced;
• f) diluting said latex to at least about 2 weight percent solids by combining said latex with an aqueous phase;
• g) coating said diluted latex onto at least a portion of one major surface of a flexible sheet;
• and
• h) evaporating said aqueous phase in order to form a coated sheet material comprising said flexible sheet coated with said polymer.