RU2841580C2 - Cigarette wrapper comprising a nanocellulose film - Google Patents

Abstract

FIELD: smoking accessories.

SUBSTANCE: invention relates to a cigarette wrap containing a nanocellulose film. Nanocellulose film has thickness of 5-150 mcm. Nanocellulose film contains one or more of the following types of nanocellulose: cellulose nanofibres and cellulose nanocrystals, wherein the cellulose nanofibres and cellulose nanocrystals have crystallinity of 80 % or more.

EFFECT: invention makes it possible to minimize formation of a smell of paper and a smell of soaring from a cigarette wrapper used in cigarettes, to reduce unpleasant sensations of a smoker and to increase fun from smoking.

10 cl, 2 dwg

Description

Field of technology

The following description relates to a cigarette wrapper comprising a nanocellulose film and a tobacco product comprising such a wrapper.

State of the art

Essentially, tobacco is a perennial dicotyledonous plant of the nightshade family, but recently tobacco leaves have been wrapped in cigarette paper, into which a part with a filter is inserted on one side, that is, in general, a tobacco product can be understood as a product made for smoking purposes. There are thousands of types of such tobacco products in the world, produced in various forms and types.

A cigarette contains a tobacco rod and at least one filter. In addition, the cigarette is wrapped in cigarette paper (wrapper). The cigarette paper used today is a mixture of various components, such as lignin and hemicellulose, in addition to cellulose.

The rolling paper used in traditional and/or electronic cigarettes has an unpleasant odor called "paper smell" that occurs during smoking due to the uniqueness of its material and the mixture of various other components (particularly lignin, hemicellulose, etc.) in addition to cellulose, which causes unpleasant sensations in consumers; in addition, the aerosol generating products (cigarette sticks) used in electronic cigarettes not only generate soot, but also create a "vapor smell" during the heating process, which, together with the smell of paper, causes unpleasant sensations in consumers.

However, it is difficult to obtain pure cellulose by completely removing the above components in the process of bleaching wood pulp during the production of such tissue paper; furthermore, since cellulose is in a state in which the crystalline structure and the amorphous structure are mixed and therefore has very low crystallinity, there is a problem that the tissue paper has lower tensile strength compared with other polymer films.

Accordingly, it is necessary to conduct a study on reducing smokers' dissatisfaction by reducing the odor emitted by cigarette papers.

Disclosure of invention

Technical goals

Accordingly, in order to overcome the above-disclosed problems and/or limitations inherent in existing technologies, the object of the present invention is to develop a cigarette wrapper comprising a nanocellulose film and a tobacco product comprising such a wrapper.

However, the objects of the present invention are not limited to the above-mentioned objects, and other objects not mentioned above will be apparent to those skilled in the art from the description below.

Technical solutions

According to one embodiment of the present invention, a cigarette wrapper comprising a nanocellulose film is provided.

According to one aspect of the invention, a smoking article is provided comprising a cigarette portion with a medium, a portion with a filter and a wrapper,

wherein the wrapper is a wrapper comprising a nanocellulose film.

According to another aspect of the present invention, a method for producing a cigarette wrapper comprising a nanocellulose film is provided, the method comprising the following steps:

1) bleaching of wood pulp;

2) converting a fluid medium into nanoparticles by colliding a fluid medium containing bleached wood pulp under high pressure; and

3) applying and drying the fluid medium converted into nanoparticles to obtain a nanocellulose film.

According to another aspect of the present invention, a method for producing a cigarette wrapper comprising a nanocellulose film is provided, the method comprising the following steps:

a) bleaching of wood pulp;

b) physical dispersion of a fluid medium containing cellulose from bleached wood pulp;

c) treatment with sulfuric acid or 2,2,6,6-tetramethyl-1-piperidinyloxy (TEMPO) to obtain a dispersion of nanoparticles; and

d) applying and drying the nanoparticle dispersion to obtain a nanocellulose film.

Effects

A cigarette wrapper made using a nanocellulose film according to one aspect of the present invention can not only reduce the specific smell of paper in traditional cigarettes, but also prevent the formation of soot when heated due to the high heat resistance of the film in electronic cigarettes, which can reduce the unpleasant smell.

In addition, the cigarette wrapper can be made from the same raw materials (wood, vegetation, etc.) as paper, and its component has the same biodegradability as cellulose, similar to paper. Thus, the cigarette wrapper is characterized by maintaining environmental friendliness and new properties such as tensile strength and high heat resistance, thanks to the transformation of cellulose into nanoparticles.

The effects of the present invention are not limited to the above effects, and should be understood to include all effects that can be obtained from the configuration of the invention according to the detailed description or claims of the present invention.

Brief description of the drawings

FIG. 1 shows that in a traditional cigarette, the conventional cigarette paper is replaced by a wrapper containing a nanocellulose film according to one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 shows that a wrapper comprising a nanocellulose film according to one embodiment of the present invention is used as the final outer shell of an aerosol generating article (cigarette stick) of an existing electronic cigarette.

The best embodiment of the invention

Embodiments of the invention are described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, since various changes can be made to the embodiments of the invention, the scope of legal protection of the present application is not limited to these embodiments of the invention. It should be understood that all modifications, equivalents and replacements of the embodiments of the invention are included in the protected scope.

The terms used in the disclosure of embodiments of the invention are used only for the purposes of disclosure and should not be considered as limiting the scope of the present invention. The singular is equivalent to the plural unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. In the present disclosure, such terms as "comprise", "have" and the like indicate the presence of a feature, number, step, operation, component, part or combination thereof described in the disclosure, but do not exclude the possibility of the existence or addition of one or more other features, numbers, steps, operations, components, parts or combinations thereof.

Unless otherwise defined, all terms, including technical or scientific terms, used herein have the meaning commonly understood by those skilled in the art to which embodiments of the invention pertain. Terms defined in a common dictionary should be interpreted as having the meaning corresponding to the meaning in the context of the art, but not in an ideal or overly formal meaning, unless otherwise expressly defined in this application.

In addition, in the description with reference to the accompanying drawings, the same components are assigned the same reference signs, regardless of the reference signs, and duplicate disclosures will be omitted. In disclosing embodiments of the invention, if a detailed disclosure of the prior art is determined to be potentially obstructive to understanding the essence of the embodiments of the invention, the detailed disclosure of the prior art will be omitted.

In addition, when describing components of embodiments of the invention, terms such as “first”, “second”, “A”, “B”, “(a)”, “(b)”, etc. may be used. These terms serve only to distinguish components from other components, but do not limit the nature, order, or sequence of the corresponding components.

Components used in any of the embodiments and components having a common function will be described using the same names in the other embodiments. Unless otherwise specified, descriptions in any of the embodiments are applicable to the other embodiments, and detailed descriptions in overlapping cases will be omitted.

In this disclosure, a "smoking article" shall be understood to mean an article capable of generating an aerosol, such as a cigarette, cigar, etc. The smoking article may contain a material or substrate for generating an aerosol. In addition, the smoking article may include a solid material (aerosol generating material) based on tobacco raw materials, such as reconstituted tobacco leaf, cut tobacco leaf, and reconstituted tobacco. The aerosol generating material may contain volatile compositions.

In addition, in this disclosure, "above" or "in an upward direction" refers to a direction away from the mouth of the user smoking the smoking article, and "below" or "in a downward direction" refers to a direction toward the mouth of the user smoking the smoking article. For example, in the smoking article shown in FIG. 1, the portion 003 with cut tobacco is located above or in an upward direction from the portion 002 with a filter.

In addition, in the disclosure of the present invention, the "aerosol generating system" should be understood as an aerosol generating device that uses an aerosol generating substrate in such a way as to generate an aerosol that the user can inhale directly into the lungs through the mouth. The aerosol generating system is a non-combustible tobacco product that is heated not by direct combustion but by indirect action of electricity. The non-combustible tobacco product is a heated tobacco product or a non-heated tobacco product. The heated tobacco product may be an article that sucks in ambient air heated by electrical energy for the purpose of generating an aerosol and allows smoking by means of a method of emitting an aerosol after inhalation of such an aerosol by the user. In addition, various types of aerosol generating devices may be included, and the scope of the present disclosure is not limited to the above-described examples.

According to one embodiment of the present invention, a cigarette wrapper comprising a nanocellulose film is provided.

Since the nanocellulose film included in the cigarette wrapper according to one embodiment of the present invention is characterized by a high cellulose content and has a substantially pure cellulose crystalline structure without an amorphous portion, it has distinct physical properties despite being a paper-like cellulose material and exhibits high tensile strength and heat resistance due to strong hydrogen bonds between the crystalline structures.

In addition, since nanocellulose is more than 90% pure crystalline particles, the nanocellulose film replacing the existing tissue paper is not a source of paper odor. This can reduce the unpleasant odor caused by the smell of paper.

In addition, the advantages of using a cigarette wrapper containing nanocellulose film in an electronic cigarette include preventing the formation of carbon deposits on the material and reducing the odor of vaping, since such a wrapper has higher heat resistance due to the strong bonds between nanoparticles and the crystalline structure, as well as higher heat resistance compared to ordinary paper.

In this case, the nanocellulose film constituting the cigarette wrapper according to one embodiment of the present invention may have a thickness of 5 to 150 μm, preferably 10 to 100 μm, more preferably 10 to 50 μm. The nanocellulose film in the above numerical range is capable of effectively maintaining the shape of the smoking article, and in particular, preventing leakage and the like from the part of the cigarette with the medium (the part with the cut tobacco). In addition, when the cigarette wrapper wraps the smoking article as a whole, as shown in FIG. 2, it is possible to reduce leakage of liquid components such as a humectant to the outside.

In addition, the nanocellulose film may comprise one or more of the following types of nanocellulose: cellulose nanofibers and cellulose nanocrystals, and when cellulose nanofibers or cellulose nanocrystals are used individually as the nanocellulose film, the crystallinity of each variant may be 80% or more.

Crystallinity below the specified range indicates poor quality of conversion from the state of existing wood pulp, etc. to nanocellulose, i.e., difficult formation of cellulose nanoparticles. In this case, the unique properties of nanocellulose, such as high tensile strength, strong adhesion between nanoparticles, alignment properties, etc., may not be sufficiently expressed.

In addition, the cigarette wrapper comprising the nanocellulose film may comprise a separate additive, wherein the additive may be a filler and/or a combustion improver.

The filler increases whiteness or opacity, regulates porosity, improves tactile sensations and printability, and additionally reduces paper odor. An example of a filler with this functionality is calcium carbonate (CaCO ₃ ).

In addition, a combustion improver promotes or inhibits combustion, an example being sodium citrate or potassium citrate.

A cigarette containing a nanocellulose film provides the taste of smoking, flammability, digestibility and technological efficiency of cigarette manufacturing due to the simultaneous content of such a filler and a combustion improver.

According to another embodiment of the present invention, a smoking article is proposed comprising a cigarette portion with a medium, a portion with a filter and a wrapper,

wherein the wrapper is a wrapper comprising a nanocellulose film.

The cigarette medium portion typically contains a nicotine-containing tobacco material, such as leaf tobacco, and may further contain an auxiliary substance, such as a binder, other additives, a flavoring agent, etc. For example, the cigarette medium included in the cigarette medium portion according to the present invention may be in the form of granules containing the tobacco material, an auxiliary substance, etc.

According to the present invention, the tobacco material is an aerosol generating material and may be pieces of tobacco leaf, tobacco stems, tobacco dust generated during tobacco processing, and/or strips of tobacco leaf segments. The tobacco leaves may be flue-cured tobacco and/or Burley tobacco and/or Oriental tobacco and/or cigar leaves and/or toasted tobacco, but are not limited to these options.

In this case, the part with the filter may contain a capsule containing incense, or additionally contain a humidifier, etc.

In addition, the wrapper of the smoking article according to one embodiment of the present invention may be a wrapper of a portion of a cigarette with a medium, a wrapper of a portion with a filter, a rim wrapper, etc.; preferably, the wrapper containing the nanocellulose film is a wrapper of a portion of a cigarette with a medium or a wrapper wrapping the smoking article as a whole, which can effectively reduce the smell of paper or the smell of vaping that occurs during smoking of a traditional cigarette and an electronic cigarette.

In addition, as disclosed above, the smoking article according to one embodiment of the present invention may correspond to a combustible or non-combustible type cigarette, since it is used as a stick for a traditional or electronic cigarette.

First, a method for producing a cigarette wrapper according to one embodiment of the present invention will be discussed.

The cigarette wrapper comprising the nanocellulose film according to the present invention can be produced by a physical process comprising the following steps 1) to 3), or by a chemical process comprising the following steps a) to d):

1) bleaching of wood pulp;

2) converting a fluid medium into nanoparticles by colliding a fluid medium containing bleached wood pulp under high pressure; and

3) applying and drying the fluid medium converted into nanoparticles to obtain a nanocellulose film;

a) bleaching of wood pulp;

b) physical dispersion of a fluid medium containing cellulose from bleached wood pulp;

c) treatment with sulfuric acid or 2,2,6,6-tetramethyl-1-piperidinyloxy (TEMPO) to obtain a dispersion of nanoparticles; and

d) applying and drying the nanoparticle dispersion to obtain a nanocellulose film.

In general, when wood pulp mainly composed of large lumps of cellulose is bleached, the content of mixed components such as hemicellulose including lignin, mannose and xylose contained therein during bleaching is partially reduced but cannot be completely eliminated. However, in the case of nanocellulose as described in steps 1) to 3) or a) to d), other mixed components such as the amorphous portion of cellulose, lignin, hemicellulose, etc., in addition to pure cellulose crystals, are mainly removed in the processes of converting into nanoparticles and bleaching. The film containing cellulose as the main component is similar to tissue paper, but the nanocellulose film from which other mixed components are removed is characterized by tensile strength and biodegradability.

In this case, the cellulose can be physically or chemically ground to small sizes such as nanoparticles by performing step 2) or steps b) and c), and the nanocellulose in step 3) or step d) can be applied similarly to the general method for producing a polymer film.

Examples of the method for producing a polymer film may include one or more methods from the group consisting of drop casting, roller coating, knife coating and rod coating, and the above examples are representative examples. However, they are not limited to the above, provided that the method allows maintaining the shape by applying a dispersion of the material in a thin layer over a large area and then drying it to form a bond between the nanoparticles.

In this case, since the nanocellulose dispersion can be produced as a water-soluble dispersion, it is characterized by stability and environmental friendliness during processing, unlike petroleum-based polymers that use other organic solvents, and the nanocellulose film produced in this way can be easily used in the process of producing smoking products in the form of cigarettes and electronic cigarettes if a roll is made with cutting in width and length according to the production method of known cigarette paper.

Although the above embodiments of the invention are disclosed by way of limited drawings, those skilled in the art can make various technical modifications and changes based on the above disclosure. For example, the corresponding results can be achieved if the described methods are carried out in a manner different from the disclosed method, and/or the disclosed elements of the system, structure, device, circuit, etc. are combined or mixed in a form different from the disclosed method, or replaced or substituted by other elements or equivalents.

Therefore, other embodiments, other examples and equivalents are included within the scope of legal protection of the claims of the invention, which will be given below.

[List of reference symbols]

001: Nanocellulose film.

002, 004, 005: Part with filter.

003: Part of a cigarette with a medium (part with cut tobacco).

Claims (18)

1. A cigarette wrapper comprising a nanocellulose film, wherein the nanocellulose film has a thickness of 5 to 150 μm, wherein the nanocellulose film comprises one or more of the following types of nanocellulose: cellulose nanofibers and cellulose nanocrystals, wherein the cellulose nanofibers and cellulose nanocrystals have a crystallinity of 80% or more. 2. A cigarette wrapper according to claim 1, wherein the cigarette wrapper contains a mineral filler and/or a chemical substance to improve combustion. 3. The cigarette wrapper of claim 2, wherein the mineral filler is calcium carbonate ( _CaCO3 ) and the combustion enhancing chemical is sodium citrate or potassium citrate. 4. A smoking article comprising a cigarette portion with a medium, a portion with a filter and a cigarette wrapper, wherein the cigarette wrapper is a cigarette wrapper according to paragraph 1. 5. A smoking article according to claim 4, wherein the wrapper containing the nanocellulose film is a wrapper for a part of a cigarette with a medium or a wrapper wrapping the smoking article as a whole. 6. A smoking article according to claim 4, wherein the part with the filter contains a humidifier or a capsule containing incense. 7. A smoking article according to claim 4, wherein the smoking article is a cigarette of a combustible or non-combustible heating type. 8. A method for producing a cigarette wrapper according to claim 1, wherein the method comprises the following steps: 1) bleaching of wood pulp; 2) converting a fluid medium into nanoparticles by impinging a fluid medium containing cellulose from bleached wood pulp; and 3) applying and drying the fluid medium converted into nanoparticles to obtain a nanocellulose film. 9. A method for producing a cigarette wrapper according to claim 1, wherein the method comprises the following steps: a) bleaching of wood pulp; b) physical dispersion of a fluid medium containing cellulose from bleached wood pulp; c) treatment with sulfuric acid or 2,2,6,6-tetramethyl-1-piperidinyloxy (TEMPO) to obtain a dispersion of nanoparticles; and d) applying and drying the nanoparticle dispersion to obtain a nanocellulose film. 10. The method of claim 9, wherein step d) is performed using one or more methods from the group consisting of drip casting, roll coating, knife coating and rod coating.