The present invention relates to aqueous
polymer dispersions suitable as opacifiers in liquid formulations, to
methods of production, to the use of such aqueous
polymer dispersions in cleaning compositions and to such compositions. These aqueous
polymer dispersions are obtainable by free-radical
emulsion polymerization in an aqueous environment by polymerizing i) at least one
vinyl ester, ii) at least one (
meth)
acrylic acid ester, which may optionally comprise
methacrylic acid as a
secondary component, the (
meth)
acrylic acid in the
methacrylate is bonded to a polyalkylene
oxide-derived block (PAO) via an
ether function wherein the PAO consists of (2) to (40) alkylene oxides (AO), iii) optionally further polymerizable monomers, the
polymerization being in the presence of: a) carboxyl group-containing compounds selected from compounds having at least three carboxyl groups in the structure thereof, and b) optionally further polymerizable monomers selected from the group consisting of compounds having at least three carboxyl groups in the structure thereof; wherein at least (10) and at most (90) percent are deprotonated, b) at least one carboxylated or non-carboxylated
sugar and / or carboxylated or non-carboxylated
polysaccharide, and c) at least one emulsifier selected from nonionic and anionic surfactants, the resulting aqueous polymer dispersion optionally further containing
sulfate ions and / or
sulfite ions.