Patent ID: 7199177

Claim:
A process for preparing a composition comprising a) 0.1–99.9% by weight of a block copolymer of the formula: wherein: In represents a polymerization initiator fragment of a polymerization initiator capable of initiating controlled atomic radical polymerization of ethylenically unsaturated monomers in the presence of a catalyst capable of activating controlled atomic radical polymerization selected from the group consisting of C 1 –C 8 -alkyl halides, C 6 –C 15 -aralkylhalides, C 2 –C 8 -haloalkyl esters, arene sulfonyl chlorides, haloalkanenitriles, α-haloacrylates and halolactones; p represents one; A represents a polymer block consisting of repeating units of acrylic or methacrylic acid-C 1 –C 24 -alkyl esters; B represents a polymer block consisting of repeating units of acrylic or methacrylic acid-C 1 –C 24 -alkyl esters which are copolymerized with at least 50% by weight of monomers carrying functional groups and wherein the monomers are selected from the group consisting of acrylic or methacrylic acid and salts thereof, acrylic or methacrylic acid-mono- or -di-C 1 –C 4 -alkylamino-C 2 –C 4 -alkyl esters and salts thereof, acrylic or methacrylic acid-hydroxy -C 2 –C 4 -alkyl esters, acrylic or methacrylamide, acrylic or methacrylic-mono- or -di-C 1 –C 4 -alkylamides, acrylic acrylamide methacryl-amino-C 2 –C 4 alkylamides, and vinyl substituted heterocycles selected from the group consisting of vinylpyrrolidone, vinylimidazole or salts thereof and vinylcarbazole; x and y represent numerals greater than zero and define the number of monomer repeating units in polymer blocks A and B; X represents a polymer chain terminal group; and q represents a numeral greater than zero; and b) 0.1–99.9% by weight of dispersible inorganic or organic pigment particles, provided that thermosetting compositions are excluded, which method comprises copolymerizing by atom transfer radical polymerization fragments A and B in the presence of polymerization initiator: wherein, In, p and q are defined as above and X represents halogen and a catalytically effective amount of a catalyst capable of activating controlled atomic radical polymerization, replacing the halogen in formula (II) with a different polymer chain terminal group and adding dispersable pigment particles and optionally binder materials, fillers or other conventional additives.