Abstract: Provided is a composition comprising an aqueous medium, and further comprising, dispersed in the aqueous medium: (a) particles (a) that comprise a maleated polyolefin (a), and (b) particles (b) that comprise an acrylic polymer (b), wherein the acrylic polymer (b) comprises, by weight based on the solid weight of the acrylic polymer (b): (i) 0.1% to 10% polymerized units of hydroxyl functional acrylic monomer, (ii) 1% to 20% polymerized units of carboxyl functional monomer, and (iii) 70% to 98.9% polymerized units of one or more additional monomer (iii) selected from the group consisting of acrylic monomers, styrenic monomers, and mixtures thereof, wherein the maleated polyolefin (a) is present in an amount of 1% to 19% by weight based on the sum of the solid weights of maleated polyolefin (a) and acrylic polymer (b). Also provided is a method of binding fibers using the composition.

Abstract: A curable aqueous composition, a method for forming a treated substrate with the curable aqueous composition, and the substrate so treated are provided. The curable aqueous composition, the process for forming a treated substrate and the treated substrate may be free from formaldehyde. The curable aqueous composition includes: an emulsion polymer including, as copolymerized units, from 0.5 to 9% ethylenically-unsaturated dicarboxylic acid monomer by weight, based on the weight of the emulsion polymer; and a polyol in the amount of from 0.5 to 15%, by weight, based on the weight of the emulsion polymer, wherein the aqueous composition includes carboxylic acid-containing polymer including, as polymerized units, from 0.5 to 9% carboxylic acid monomer by weight, based on the total weight of the carboxylic acid-containing polymer.