Isocyanic acid, m-phenylenediiso-propylidene (m-TMXDI)-based anionic poly(urethane-urea) dispersions were prepared by the prepolymer mixing process. The equivalent ratio of NCO/OH was kept constant at 1.8, while 2,2-bis(hydroxyl methyl) propionic acid (DMPA) used was varied from 3 to 10 wt %. The colloidal stability of poly (urethane-urea) dispersions arose entirely from the presence of ionized carboxylic acid groups. The chemical structure of poly(urethane-urea) dispersions with various amount of DMPA were identified by FTIR and C-13 NMR analysis. The test results showed that the hydrophilicity of poly(urethaneurea) dispersions were increased with increase in DMPA content. The degree of chain extension was much lower than the values predicted theoretically due to the side reaction of a small amount of hydrophilic isocyanate-terminated prepolymer with water. The average particle size of poly(urethaneurea) dispersions were decreased with an increase in DMPA content, and this lead to an increase in viscosity. Also, the thermal degradation behavior were measured and was shown that the initial degradation temperature shifted to lower temperature with an increase in DMPA content. (c) 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.