Patent ID: 7172850

Claim:
A method for preparing a copolymeric binder, comprising: in a solvent mixture consisting essentially of: at least about 50 percent of a (C 1 â€“C 6 ) alkanol or a mixture thereof, by weight, and at least about 10 percent water, by weight; contacting a combination of co-monomers in the presence of a polymerization initiator, the combination of co-monomers including: a) at least 50 percent (meth)acrylonitrile, by weight, b) poly(ethylene glycol) alkyl ether (meth)acrylate, and c) styrene, to produce the copolymeric binder in the form of discrete particles and having a number average molecular weight in the range from about 10,000 Da to about 250,000 Da.