Abstract: The present invention relates to a method which uses non-core-shell polymer particles to form polymer film on a pre-formed solid substrate surface, said non-core-shell polymer particles comprising two covalently coupled polymer regions of different molecular composition, wherein (a) one of the two polymer regions is a crosslinked RAFT polymer region and the other polymer region is a film forming polymer region, (b) the crosslinked RAFT polymer region comprising particle aggregation prevention means selected from one or more of charged and steric stabilising functionality, and (c) the film forming polymer region comprising 0-3 wt. % of charged polymerised monomer residues relative to the total amount of polymerised monomer residues present in that region.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of preparing an aqueous dispersion of polymer encapsulated particulate material, the method comprising: providing a dispersion of the particulate material in a continuous aqueous phase, the dispersion comprising ethylenically unsaturated monomer and a stabilizer for the particulate material; and polymerizing the ethylenically unsaturated monomer by non-living free radical polymerization to form polymer that encapsulates the particulate material, thereby providing the aqueous dispersion of polymer encapsulated particulate material; wherein polymerization of the ethylenically unsaturated monomer comprises: (a) polymerizing a monomer composition that includes ionizable ethylenically unsaturated monomer so as to form a base responsive water swellable non-living polymer layer that encapsulates the particulate material; and (b) polymerizing a monomer composition that includes non-ionizable ethylenically unsaturated monomer so as to form an extensible, water and base permeab

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of preparing an aqueous dispersion of polymer encapsulated particulate material, the method comprising: providing a dispersion of the particulate material in a continuous aqueous phase, the dispersion comprising ethylenically unsaturated monomer and a stabiliser for the particulate material; and polymerising the ethylenically unsaturated monomer by non-living free radical polymerisation to form polymer that encapsulates the particulate material, thereby providing the aqueous dispersion of polymer encapsulated particulate material; wherein polymerisation of the ethylenically unsaturated monomer comprises: (a) polymerising a monomer composition that includes ionisable ethylenically unsaturated monomer so as to form a base responsive water swellable non-living polymer layer that encapsulates the particulate material; and (b) polymerising a monomer composition that includes non-ionisable ethylenically unsaturated monomer so as to form an extensible, water and base permeab