Process for converting a solid (meth)acrylate copolymer into a dispersed form by means of a dispersing agent

A ready to use composition, comprising a dry mixture of:

• (a) a (meth)acrylate copolymer comprising, in free-radical polymerized form, methyl methacrylate, ethyl acrylate and a salt of 2-trimethylammoniumethyl methacrylate, wherein the (meth)acrylate copolymer is a solid powder or a solid granulate;
• and
• (b) up to 50% by weight, based on the (meth)acrylate copolymer (a), of at least one dispersing agent selected from the group consisting of
• (b)(i) a combination comprising a plasticizer and an emulsifier, and
• (b)(ii) a fatty alcohol comprising 6 to 18 carbon atoms, a water soluble salt of a saturated or unsaturated carboxylic acid comprising 6 to 18 carbon atoms, an unsubstituted mono carboxylic acid comprising 6 to 18 carbon atoms, a hydroxycarboxylic acid comprising 6 to 18 carbon atoms, or any mixture thereof,
• wherein:
• the ready to use composition is in the form of a powder or a granulate;
• the powder or granulate of the ready to use composition is not formed by a solvent evaporation process in which one or more organic solvent is combined with a mixture of (a) and (b) before removing the one or more organic solvent by evaporation;
• and
• when the ready to use composition is mixed with water at a temperature of less than 50° C., an aqueous dispersion is obtained that comprises at least the (meth)acrylate copolymer (a) in dispersed form.