Poly(urethane acrylate) (PUA) composite particles were prepared by seeded surfactant-free emulsion polymerization. The aqueous polyurethane (PU) dispersions were used as seed particles. The diameters of the seed particles of the aqueous PU dispersions and PUA composite latexes were measured by dynamic light scattering. The microstructures of the PUA composite emulsion particles were observed by transmission electron microscopy. The influences of the amount of the hydrophilic chain extender, the types of initiators, and the PU/polyacrylate (PA) weight ratios on the diameters of the aqueous PU and composite emulsions were also studied. The results showed that the PUA composite emulsions formed a core-shell structure with PU as the shell and with PA as the core. The diameter of the PU seed particles and the particle size of the PUA composite emulsions greatly depended on the amounts of the hydrophilic chain extender used in the preparation of the PU seed; when the hydrophilic chain extender concentration was 7.4%, the average diameter of the PUA composite emulsion particles showed the minimum value. The types of initiators and PU/PA weight ratios did not have a significant influence on the diameter of the PUA composite latex particles. (C) 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 114: 2030-2035, 2009