OF RAYON FABRICS DY MEANS OF IRRADIATION -CURING COPOL YMERGRAFTINGMONOMERS NORMAL METHYLOL ACRYLAMIDE AND NORMAL DUTYLACRYLA TE. Having high moisture regain,fabrics from viscose rayon were still preferable and comfortable for apparel material in the tropical climate, however, it is lackingin crease resistance and dimensional stability. Finishing process with resins that is able to produce crosslinking with cellulose orpolymerized each other on the fabric surface, can improve the properties of cellulose. Considering to the previous researchactivities and its results, improvement of rayon fabric with monomers N-methylol acrylamide (NMA) and N-butyl acrylate(NBA) will be carried out in this current experimental by means of various process technologies. The four processes will be: (A)Padding - Irradiation, (B) Padding - Irradiation - Curing, (C) Padding - Curing - Irradiation, and (0) Padding - Curing. Themonomer solution contains 200 g/L of monomer, with acetic salt as catalyst and non ion wetting agent, ajusted solution topH = 6.5 and padding at 50% wet pick up. Irradiation process was carried out by means ofCo-60 gamma-rays at the dose rateof 1Mrad/hour with irradiation dose 0.50 Mrad and 1.00 Mrad, at room temperature and atmosphere of nitrogen. Thecopolymerization grafted fabric was subjected to verification of crease recovery angles, dimensional stability and breakingstrength. It is concluded from the experimental results that NMA monomer (with two reactive groups for addition andcondensation reaction) has produced higher grafting yields compared to the ones produced by NBA monomer (with one reactivegroup for addition reaction). Irradiation yields with the dose of 1 Mrad produced grafting yields higher than the ones with0.50 Mrad. The higher the gralting yields tend to improve its crease resistance as well as its dimensional stability, while thebreaking strength relatively unaffected.Ka/(I kunci : Kain rayon viskosa, Kopolimerisasi cangkok, Pemanas awetan, Oosis-iradiasi, Kestabilan-dimensi, Kekuatan tarik. Kuntari Sasas; Balai Besar Litbang Industri Tekstil 11.A.Yani 390 Bandung 40281 E-mail: texird@bdg.centrin.id
