Aqueous anionic poly (urethane/urea) dispersions

A stable aqueous dispersion of an anionic poly(urethane/urea) polymer, the poly(urethane/urea) polymer comprising the reaction product in aqueous dispersion of an isocyanate terminated polyurethane prepolymer and at least one amine functional chain extender or chain terminator compound, wherein

• the isocyanate terminated polyurethane prepolymer comprises the reaction product of a polyisocyanate component comprising a diisocyanate, with a polyol component, the polyol component providing both carboxylate groups and sulfonate groups and comprises:
• at least one sulfonated polyester;
• and
• at least one hydroxy carboxylic acid of the formula:
• (HO).sub.x R(COOH).sub.y
• wherein R represents a straight or branched, hydrocarbon radical containing 1 to 12 carbon atoms, and x and y represent values from 1 to 3, provided, however, that when the value of x is 1, an amount of moles of trifunctional isocyanate equal to the number of moles of said hydroxy carboxylic acid in which x is 1 is employed in the polyisocyanate component and when x is 3, an amount of moles of monofunctional isocyanate equal to the number of moles of said hydroxy carboxylic acid in which x is 3 is employed;
• and
• the carboxylate and sulfonate groups of said isocyanate prepolymer are anionic, having counter-ions provided by neutralization with an alkali hydroxide or a tertiary amine prior to, or simultaneous with, said reaction of said prepolymer and said amine functional chain extender or terminator.