Abstract: An aqueous paper-coating composition which essentially comprises a finely divided pigment and an emulsion copolymer of(a) from 30 to 80% by weight of C.sub.4 -C.sub.8 -alkyl acrylates or mixtures of C.sub.4 -C.sub.8 -alkyl acrylates and di-(C.sub.4 -C.sub.8 -alkyl) maleates,(b) from 8 to 30% by weight of acrylic acid and/or methacrylic acid,(c) from 0 to 50% by weight of vinyl propionate, vinyl acetate, methyl acrylate, ethyl acrylate and/or vinyl .alpha.-branched C.sub.10 -monocarboxylate,(d) from 0 to 5% by weight of acrylamide, methacrylamide, vinylsulfonic acid, 2-acrylamido-2-methylpropanesulfonic acid and/or acrylonitrile and(e) from 0 to 3% by weight of crosslinking monomers in the form of an aqueous dispersion, as the sole binder and thickener.

Abstract: A low-odor aqueous binder dispersion containing as copolymerized units, and based on solids content,(a) from 25 to 57.5% by weight of butadiene or of butadiene and an acrylic acid ester, the content of copolymerized butadiene being not less than 15% by weight,(b) from 40 to 70% by weight of styrene,(c) from 1 to 5% by weight of maleic acid or maleic anhydride and(d) from 1.5 to 7% by weight of methacrylamide, for use in paper-coating compositions.