a self - emulsifiable resin powder can be dispersed in water without utilizing additional surfactants or expanding large amounts of mechanical energy . such self - emulsifiable resin powders offer numerous distinct advantages over conventional latices . one of the most important benefits that is realized by utilizing self - emulsifiable resin powders is that they can be shipped dry which is the equivalent to shipping a latex with a 100 percent solids content . in other words , such self - emulsifiable resin powders eliminate the necessity for shipping water in latices . the self - emulsifiable resin powders disclosed herein also have the advantage of having low carboxyl contents and of being dispersible into aqueous systems which contain virtually no surfactants . these self - emulsifiable resins contain a relatively small proportion of repeat units which are derived from both acrylic acid and methacrylic acid . the self - emulsifiable resin powder compositions disclosed herein also contain a small amount of a metal salt of an alkyl sulfonate or a metal salt of an alkyl sulfate .