WO2025219578A1

WO2025219578A1 - Aerosol-generating material

Info

Publication number: WO2025219578A1
Application number: PCT/EP2025/060748
Authority: WO
Inventors: Walid Abi Aoun; Alina-Mariana CRAINIC; Guilherme GONCALVES CARDOSO
Original assignee: Nicoventures Trading Ltd
Current assignee: Nicoventures Trading Ltd
Priority date: 2024-04-19
Filing date: 2025-04-17
Publication date: 2025-10-23
Anticipated expiration: 2026-10-19
Also published as: GB202415362D0; GB202415368D0; GB202415361D0; EP4635308A1

Abstract

An aerosol-generating material in the form of a body comprising a cavity for receiving an aerosol generator of an aerosol provision device, two or more channels extending through the body, each channel of the two or more channels being defined by a continuous perimeter wall and a flavour.

Description

Aerosol-generating material

Technical Field

The present application relates to aerosol-generating compositions, articles for use in non-combustible aerosol provision devices comprising the aerosol-generating compositions and to non-combustible aerosol provision systems comprising such articles and devices.

Background

Aerosol-generating systems produce an aerosol during use, which is inhaled by a user. For example, tobacco heating devices heat an aerosol-generating material such as tobacco to form an aerosol by heating, but not burning, the aerosol-generating material.

Summary

According to a first aspect, there is provided an aerosol-generating material in the form of a body comprising a cavity for receiving an aerosol generator of an aerosol provision device, two or more channels extending through the body, each channel of the two or more channels being defined by a continuous perimeter wall and a flavour.

In some embodiments, the body is formed from a non-tobacco botanical material.

According to a second aspect, there is provided an aerosol-generating material in the form of a body formed from a non-tobacco botanical material comprising two or more channels extending through the body, each channel of the two or more channels being defined by a continuous perimeter wall an active and a flavour.

In some embodiments, the body comprises an active. In some embodiments, the body comprises one, some or all of a binder, one or more actives, aerosol former and optionally a filler.

In some embodiments, the body comprises a first end comprising two or more fluid inlets and a second end comprising two or more fluid outlets, wherein the two or more channels extend through the body and fluidly connect at least one of the first fluid inlets with at least one of the second first outlets.

In some embodiments, the body is an extruded body. Optionally the extruded body is in the form a rod. In some embodiments, the body comprises a width/diameter of about 5 mm to about 12 mm and/or a length of about 3 mm to about 20 mm.

In some embodiments, the cavity has a width or diameter of 1 mm to about 10 mm, about 1.5 mm to about 8 mm or from about 2 mm to about 6 mm.

In some embodiments, the cavity extends into the body by length that is about 5% to about 90%, 80%, 70%, 60%, 50%, 40%, 30% 20% or 10% of the total length of the body.

In some embodiments, the aerosol-generating material is porous.

In some embodiments, the aerosol-generating material is formed from a pre-cursor material which has a higher porosity when at a temperature above ambient temperature (e.g. above 50 °C, 60 °C, 70 °C, 80 °C, 90 °C or 100 °C) than the porosity of the pre-cursor material at ambient temperature.

In some embodiments, aerosol-generating material comprises a surface and the flavour is absorbed or adsorbed on the surface of the aerosol-generating material.

In some embodiments, the total surface area of walls can be from about 50 mm² to around 10000 mm², from around 100 mm² to around 5000 mm² or from around 500 mm² to about 3000 mm² .

In some embodiments, the total surface area of the peripheral walls of the channels is from about to about 40 mm² to about 1000 mm² per mm length of the body.

In some embodiments, the aerosol-generating material comprises the flavour in an amount of up to about 30 mg.

In some embodiments, the channels have a cross-sectional area of at least about 0.01 mm² to about 1 mm², from about 0.05 mm² to about 0.5 mm², from about 0.1 mm² to about 0.4 mm² or from about 0.1 mm² to about 0.3 mm².

In some embodiments, the cavity has a circular, square, triangular, hexagonal, pentagonal, heptagonal, octagonal or oblong cross-sectional shape. In some embodiments, the aerosol-generating material comprises tobacco, eucalyptus, star anise, cocoa and hemp, rooibos and fennel.

In some embodiments, the aerosol-generating material does not comprise tobacco.

In some embodiments, the flavour is menthol or a sensate, such as WS-3.

In some embodiments, the aerosol-generating material comprises aerosol former material, one or more aerosol former materials. The aerosol former materials may be glycerol and propylene glycol, for example.

According to a third aspect, an article is provided comprising the aerosol-generating material of any of the above embodiments.

According to a fourth aspect, there is provided a process for preparing an aerosolgenerating material of any of the above embodiments.

According to a fifth aspect, there is provided a process for preparing an article according to the third aspect.

According to a sixth aspect, there is provided the process comprising providing an extruded pre-cursor material, applying a flavour composition to the extruded precursor material and reducing the temperature of the extruded pre-cursor material after the flavour composition has been applied to provide the aerosol-generating material. In some embodiments, the extruded pre-cursor material may be provided at a temperature that is greater than ambient temperature.

According to a seventh aspect, there is provided a process for preparing an aerosolgenerating material, the process comprising providing an extruded pre-cursor material at a temperature greater than ambient temperature, applying a flavour composition to the extruded pre-cursor material while it is at the temperature greater than ambient temperature and reducing the temperature of the extruded pre-cursor material after the flavour composition has been applied to provide the aerosol-generating material.

In some embodiments, the process comprises extruding a mixture at a first temperature to provide the extruded pre-cursor material and wherein the temperature of the extruded pre-cursor material is reduced to a second temperature. In some embodiments, the process comprises applying a film of the flavour composition onto a surface of the pre-cursor material, spraying the flavour composition onto the pre-cursor material, applying droplets of the flavour composition onto a surface of the pre-cursor material or submerging the pre-cursor material in a solution comprising the flavour composition.

In some embodiments, the temperature of the extruded pre-cursor material when the flavour is applied may be from about 40 °C, 50 °C, 60 °C, 70 °C, 80 °C, 90 °C, 100 °C, 110 °C, 120 °C and/or up to about 60 °C, 70 °C, 80 °C, 90 °C, 100 °C, 110 °C, 120 °C, 130 °C, 140 °C.

In some embodiments, the temperature of the pre-cursor material when the flavour is applied to it may be 50 °C to 120 °C, from 60 °C to 120 °C, from 70 °C to 120 °C, from 80 °C to 120 °C or from 90 °C to 120 °C.

In some embodiments, the flavour composition comprises a flavour and a solvent.

In some embodiments, the process produces or is for producing the aerosolgenerating material of any of the above embodiments.

According to a eighth aspect, there is provided an aerosol-generating material produced by a process of any of the above embodiments.

According to a ninth aspect, there is provided a system comprising an aerosolgenerating material according to the above embodiments and an aerosol-provision device or a system comprising an article comprising the aerosol-generating material and an aerosol-provision device.

According to an tenth aspect, there is provided a use of an aerosol-generating material according to the above embodiments with an aerosol provision system.

Brief Description of the Drawings

Embodiments of the invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figures la and lb are perspective views of two different bodies of aerosol generating material; Figure 2 is an end-on view of the upstream ends of different bodies of aerosolgenerating material;

Figures 3a and 3b are flow charts showing the key steps in processes for preparing the aerosol-generating materials described herein;

Figures 4 depicts a flavour being applied to a pre-cursor material to form an aerosolgenerating material;

Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view of an article comprising an aerosol-generating material;

Figure 6 is a cross-sectional view of an aerosol provision device for use with the article of Figure 5;

Figure 7 is a cross-sectional view of the article of Figure 5 being inserted into the aerosol provision device of Figure 6; and

Figure 8 is a cross-sectional view of the article of Figure 5 when it is inserted in the aerosol provision device of Figure 6.

Detailed Description

In the figures described herein, like reference numerals are used to illustrate equivalent features, articles or components.

Figure la is a perspective view of an aerosol generating material 1 in the form of a body 2. The body 2 comprises a cavity 3a for receiving an aerosol generator of an aerosol provision device, two channels 4a, 4b extending through the body 2, each channel 4a, 4b being defined by a continuous perimeter wall 5a, 5b. The aerosolgenerating material comprises a flavour.

The channels 4a, 4b extend from inlets 6a, 6b at an upstream end of the body 2, through the body 2 and terminate in outlets 7a, 7b at a downstream end of the body 2. The channels 6a, 6b are configured to allow fluid, such as air and/or aerosol, to pass between the upstream end and the downstream end via channels 16 through the body 2. Although in this embodiment the body 2 comprises two channels 4a, 4b, additional channels may be provided in other embodiments. Increasing the number of channels increases the total surface area of the aerosol-generating material and therefore improves the efficiency of aerosol generation.

The terms 'upstream' and 'downstream' used herein are relative terms defined in relation to the direction of mainstream aerosol drawn through an aerosol-generating material, article or device in use. The body 2 of aerosol-generating material 1 has a width, which is the longest straight line distance between a first point on the peripheral edge of the upstream end to a second point on the peripheral edge of the upstream end. Where the body 2 is in the form a rod, the width is equivalent to the diameter of the upstream end of the rod.

In the present example, the body 2 of aerosol-generating material 1 is in the form of a rod which has a diameter of about 7 mm and a length of about 12 mm.

The width/diameter of the body of aerosol-generating material may be from about 2 mm to about 20 mm, about 3 mm to about 16 mm, about 4 mm to about 14 mm, about 5 mm to about 12 mm or about 6 to about 10 mm.

The body of aerosol-generating material can have a length of from about 1 mm to about 30 mm, from about 2 mm to about 25 mm or from about 3 mm to about 20 mm. The body of aerosol-generating material can have a length of about 1 mm, 2 mm, 3 mm, 4 mm, 5 mm, 6 mm, 7 mm, 8 mm, 9 mm, 10 mm, 11 mm, 12 mm, 13 mm, 14 mm, 15 mm, 16 mm, 17 mm, 18 mm, 19 mm or 20 mm. The body of aerosol-generating material can be formed by cutting a longer body of aerosolgenerating material to the desired length.

In some embodiments the body of aerosol-generating material has a width/diameter of from about 5 mm to about 8 mm and a length of from about 5 mm to about 15 mm.

In the present example, the continuous perimeter wall 5a, 5b of the channels 4a, 4b is configured to fluidly isolate the channels 6a, 6b from each other. In embodiments comprising more than two channels, the continuous perimeter wall may be configured to fluidly isolate some or all of the channels from each other. Thus, some or all of the channels may be fluidly isolated from some or all of the other channels. For example, some or all of the channels may be configured such that fluid contained in one channel may not be able to pass into another channel without the fluid first existing the body (e.g. through the outlets).

The cavity 3a for receiving an aerosol generator of an aerosol provision device comprises an opening 3b at the upstream end of the body 2 to allow for the aerosol generator to be inserted into the cavity 3a and is defined by a wall 3c extending from the perimeter edge of the opening 3b into the body 2. In the present example, the wall 3c of the cavity 3a extends along the full length of the body 2. In some embodiments, the wall 3c of the cavity 3a does not extend along the full length of the body 2, but terminates within the body 2 and so may be referred to as a blind cavity. The cavity 3a may extend into the body by a length that is equal to or about 5% to about 90%, 80%, 70%, 60%, 50%, 40%, 30% 20% or 10% of the total length of the body 2. The depth of the cavity and the width of the cavity may be adapted during manufacturing of the body 2 to suit the width and length of the aerosol-generator to be inserted into the cavity.

The cavity 3a is configured (e.g. it has a suitable cross-sectional area and volume) to receive an aerosol generator, such as a heating pin or blade, of an aerosol provision device.

The cavity 3a may have a width/diameter of from about 1 mm to about 10 mm, about 1.5 mm to about 8 mm or from about 2 mm to about 6 mm. In some embodiments, the cavity has a width/diameter of from about 1.5 mm to about 5 mm or about 2 mm to about 4 mm. A cavity width of around 2 to about 4 mm may be a good compromise between the amount of volume occupied by the cavity and the aerosolgenerated in use by the aerosol-generating material.

In some embodiments the body of aerosol-generating material has a width/diameter of about 7 mm and a length of about 12 mm.

As set out previously, the cavity is suitable for receiving an aerosol generator of an aerosol provision device. An aerosol generator is an apparatus configured to cause aerosol to be generated from the aerosol-generating material. The aerosol generator can be a heater configured to subject the aerosol-generating material to heat energy, so as to release one or more volatiles from the aerosol-generating material to form an aerosol. The aerosol generator may be configured to cause an aerosol to be generated from the aerosol-generating material without heating. For example, the aerosol generator may be configured to subject the aerosol-generating material to one or more of vibration, increased pressure, or electrostatic energy.

When the aerosol generator is inserted into the cavity 3a, the aerosol generator can rapidly heat up the body 2 of aerosol generating material 1. The walls 5a, 5b of the channels 4a, 4b are relatively close to the aerosol generator and have a relatively large surface area. The heat generated by the aerosol generator causes the aerosolgenerating material 1 to release aerosol, which subsequently travels downstream through the channels 4a, 4b to the downstream end of the body. The channels 4a, 4b are configured to convey a fluid from the upstream end to the downstream end the body 2. The fluid may be an aerosol. The aerosol-generating material generates an aerosol that flows from the upstream end of the body 2 to the downstream end of the body through the channels 4a, 4b.

The channels 4a, 4b are defined by the perimeter walls 5a, 5b, which extend from the upstream end to the downstream end of the body 1. The upstream end of the perimeter walls 5a, 5b also define, respectively, the inlets 6a, 6b. The downstream end of the perimeter walls 5a, 5b also define, respectively, the outlets 7a, 7b. The perimeter walls 5a, 5b produce aerosol when the aerosol-generating material is heated to a temperature that is sufficient to generate the aerosol.

As noted above, in the present example, the body 2 of aerosol-generating material 1 has a length of around 12 mm. The total surface area of the walls 5a, 5b can be calculated by adding the area of the walls 5a, 5b. The total surface area of walls 5a, 5b can be from about 50 mm² to around 10000 mm², from around 100 mm² to around 5000 mm² or from around 500 mm² to about 3000 mm². Increasing the number of channels may increase the total surface area of the walls and thus increase aerosol generation efficiency. A total surface area of around 1200 mm² to around 1400 mm² provided by 36 channels (and thus 36 continuous peripheral walls) and a body 12 mm long has been found to be particularly effective at generating aerosol without compromising the structural integrity of the body.

The total surface area of the walls of the channels per mm length of the body can be from about 20 mm² to about 5000 mm² per mm length of body, from about 30 mm² to about 2000 mm² per mm length of body, from about 40 mm² to about 1000 mm² per mm length of body, from about 50 mm² to about 500 mm² per mm length of body, from about 60 mm² to about 250 mm² per mm length of body, or from about 80 mm² to 120 mm².

Compared to a body without channels (i.e. a body that only has a cavity for receiving the aerosol generator), the aerosol-generating material 1 produces aerosol more efficiently because aerosol can rapidly enter the channels 4a, 4b and move through the body towards the downstream end. Furthermore, as the aerosol generator heats the body 2 radially and the channels 4a, 4b are relatively close to the aerosol generator when it is inserted in the cavity 3a, the heat does not need to conduct through the complete volume of the body 2 in order for the aerosol to be released. Thus, the rate of aerosolisation may be improved. The cavity 3a may be shaped to receive the aerosol-generator such that when the aerosol-generator is received by the cavity 3a, the aerosol-generator is in contact with the wall 3c of the cavity 3a. This may improve the efficiency of heating of the aerosolgenerating material when the aerosol-generator is activated (e.g. when the aerosolgenerator is emitting heat). The cavity 3a and/or cavity opening 3b may be shaped to receive the aerosol-generator without deforming or damaging the body.

Where the body is rod-shaped, it may have a circular cross-section and the centre of the cavity may be approximately equidistant from an outer surface of the rod. Where the body has a non-circular cross-section, the cavity may be in the geometric centre, or centroid, of cross-section of the body. This may ensure that heat is distributed as evenly as possible throughout the aerosol-generating material when the aerosol generator is activated.

Figure lb is a perspective view of an aerosol generating material 1 in the form of a body 2. As with the embodiment shown in Figure la, the body 2 comprises two or more channels 4a, 4b, as previously described, and a flavour. In the present embodiment, the body 2 is formed from a non-tobacco botanical material. Unlike the embodiment shown in Figure la, in the embodiment shown in Figure lb, the body 2 does not comprise a cavity for receiving an aerosol generator of an aerosol provision device. The aerosol-generating material 1 may still be used with an aerosol provision device comprising an aerosol-generator in the form of a blade or pin, but rather than inserting the blade or pin into a cavity, the blade or pin can be inserted into the body 2 by deforming the aerosol-generating material. The channels 4a, 4b may facilitate the deformation of the body 2 during insertion of the blade or pin. Increasing the number of channels 4a, 4b may decrease the structural rigidity of the body 2 but improve the ease by which an aerosol generator may be inserted into the body 2 and yet still facilitate aerosol generation and delivery of the aerosol through the body 2.

The aerosol-generating material 1 may also be used with an aerosol provision device that heats the aerosol-generating material from the "outside in" (i.e. by heating the outer surface of the body 2). When used with such an aerosol generating device, the aerosol generator heats the outer surface of the body 2. As the heat does not need to conduct through the complete volume of the body 2 in order for the aerosol to be released, aerosol may be more efficiently generated compared with a body that does not comprise channels. In the embodiments described above, the aerosol-generating material is in the form of a rod. In embodiments, the body may, for example, be in the form of a disc, a cube or a cuboid. The channels may confer the body with honeycomb or honeycomb-like structure (e.g. the upstream end of the body 2 may have a honeycomb appearance when viewed from the upstream end of the body 2). The channels may have a regular cross-sectional shape or an irregular cross-sectional shape. The cross-sectional shape of the channels may be circular, square, hexagonal, pentagonal, heptagonal, octagonal or oblong. Decreasing the cross-sectional area of the channels 4a, 4b may reduce the volume of the channels 4a, 4b to allow for the body 2 to comprise more channels. Increasing the number of channels may increase the surface area of the body 2 and thus increase the efficiency of aerosol generation.

The channels may have a cross-sectional area of at least about 0.01 mm² to about 1 mm², from about 0.05 mm² to about 0.5 mm², from about 0.1 mm² to about 0.4 mm² or from about 0.1 mm² to about 0.3 mm². One or more of the channels may have a different cross-sectional area from the other channels or each channel may have or the same cross-sectional area.

Figure 2 shows the upstream end of various different bodies 2 of aerosol-generating material having different numbers and shapes of channels and channel inlets 6a. The cavity 3a may have any suitable cross-sectional area, but is typically be larger in cross-sectional area than the cross-section area of each of the channels 4a, 4b in order to accommodate the aerosol generator. As shown, in these embodiments, the cavity 3a may be circular or have a hexagonal cross-section. The cross-sectional shape of the cavity may be, for example, circular, square, triangular, hexagonal, pentagonal, heptagonal, octagonal or oblong. These shapes may improve the structural rigidity of the body 2.

As used herein, the term "aerosol-generating material" describes a material that is capable of generating aerosol, for example when heated, irradiated or energized in any other way. Aerosol-generating material may, for example, be in the form of a solid, liquid or semi-solid (such as a gel) which may or may not contain an active substance and/or flavourants.

The aerosol-generating material may comprise one or more active substances (sometimes referred to as "actives" herein)and/or flavours, one or more aerosolformer materials, filler and optionally one or more other functional material. The aerosol-generating material may comprise a binder, such as a gelling agent, and an aerosol former. Optionally, a substance to be delivered and/or filler may also be present. Optionally, a solvent, such as water, is also present and one or more other components of the aerosol-generating material may or may not be soluble in the solvent. In some embodiments, the aerosol-generating material is substantially free from botanical material. In particular, in some embodiments, the aerosol-generating material is substantially tobacco free.

The binder may be selected from one or more compounds selected from the group comprising alginates, pectins, starches (and derivatives), amylose, amylopectin, celluloses (and derivatives), gums, silica or silicones compounds, clays, polyvinyl alcohol, a polysaccharide such as galactomannan or glucomannan, a gum such as acacia gum, xanthan gum, pullulan, gellan gum, tragacanth gum, gum karaya, and combinations thereof.

Where present, the filler may include one or more organic fillers, such as wood pulp, cellulose, cellulose derivatives (e.g. microcrystalline cellulose, methylcellulose, hydroxypropyl cellulose, and carboxymethylcellulose (CMC)) and a metal carbonate, such as calcium carbonate. In certain instances, the amorphous solid does not contain calcium carbonate, such as chalk.

The aerosol-generating material may comprise or be an "amorphous solid". In some embodiments. The amorphous solid may be a "monolithic solid". The amorphous solid may be substantially non-fibrous. In some embodiments, the amorphous solid may be a dried gel. The amorphous solid is a solid material that may retain some fluid, such as liquid, within it. The amorphous solid may be substantially free from botanical material. The amorphous solid may be substantially tobacco free.

The aerosol-generating material may comprise an active. An active as used herein may be a physiologically active material, which is a material intended to achieve or enhance a physiological response. The active substance may for example be selected from nutraceuticals, nootropics, psychoactives. The active substance may be naturally occurring or synthetically obtained. The active substance may comprise for example nicotine, caffeine, taurine, theine, vitamins such as B6 or B12 or C, melatonin, cannabinoids, or constituents, derivatives, or combinations thereof. The active substance may comprise one or more constituents, derivatives or extracts of tobacco, cannabis or another botanical. The active substance may be a legally permissible recreational drug.

The active substance may comprise nicotine. In some embodiments, the active substance comprises caffeine, melatonin or vitamin B12.

As noted, the active substance may comprise one or more constituents, derivatives or extracts of cannabis, such as one or more cannabinoids or terpenes.

The active substance may be CBD or a derivative thereof.

The active may be derived from one of more botanicals, such as one or more of the botanicals described herein. The active substance may comprise or be derived from one or more botanicals or constituents, derivatives or extracts thereof.

The aerosol-generating material may comprise, consist and/or be formed from a botanical material. As used herein, the term "botanical" includes any material derived from plants including, but not limited to, extracts, leaves, bark, fibres, stems, roots, seeds, flowers, fruits, pollen, husk, shells or the like. Alternatively, the material may comprise an active compound naturally existing in a botanical, obtained synthetically. The material may be in the form of liquid, gas, solid, powder, dust, crushed particles, granules, pellets, shreds, strips, sheets, or the like.

Example botanicals are tobacco, eucalyptus, star anise, hemp, cocoa, cannabis, fennel, lemongrass, peppermint, spearmint, rooibos, chamomile, flax, ginger, ginkgo biloba, hazel, hibiscus, laurel, licorice (liquorice), matcha, mate, orange skin, papaya, rose, sage, tea such as green tea or black tea, thyme, clove, cinnamon, coffee, aniseed (anise), basil, bay leaves, cardamom, coriander, cumin, nutmeg, oregano, paprika, rosemary, saffron, lavender, lemon peel, mint, juniper, elderflower, vanilla, Wintergreen, beefsteak plant, curcuma, turmeric, sandalwood, cilantro, bergamot, orange blossom, myrtle, cassis, valerian, pimento, mace, damien, marjoram, olive, lemon balm, lemon basil, chive, carvi, verbena, tarragon, geranium, mulberry, ginseng, theanine, theacrine, maca, ashwagandha, damiana, guarana, chlorophyll, baobab or any combination thereof. The mint may be chosen from the following mint varieties: Mentha Arventis, Mentha c.v., Mentha niliaca, Mentha piperita, Mentha piperita citrata c.v., Mentha piperita c.v, Mentha spicata crispa, Mentha cardifolia, Memtha longifolia, Mentha suaveolens variegata, Mentha pulegium, Mentha spicata c.v. and Mentha suaveolens In particular, the botanical material may selected from tobacco, eucalyptus, star anise, cocoa and hemp, rooibos and fennel.

The aerosol-generating material may not comprise tobacco and/or may not comprise tobacco-derived material. In some embodiments, the aerosol-generating material is substantially free from tobacco or tobacco derived material.

The aerosol-generating material comprises a flavour. As used herein, the terms "flavour" and "flavourant" refer to materials which, where local regulations permit, may be used to create a desired taste, aroma or other somatosensorial sensation in a product for adult consumers. They may include naturally occurring flavour materials, botanicals, extracts of botanicals, synthetically obtained materials, or combinations thereof (e.g., tobacco, cannabis, licorice (liquorice), hydrangea, eugenol, Japanese white bark magnolia leaf, chamomile, fenugreek, clove, maple, matcha, menthol, Japanese mint, aniseed (anise), cinnamon, turmeric, Indian spices, Asian spices, herb, Wintergreen, cherry, berry, red berry, cranberry, peach, apple, orange, mango, clementine, lemon, lime, tropical fruit, papaya, rhubarb, grape, durian, dragon fruit, cucumber, blueberry, mulberry, citrus fruits, Drambuie, bourbon, scotch, whiskey, gin, tequila, rum, spearmint, peppermint, lavender, aloe vera, cardamom, celery, cascarilla, nutmeg, sandalwood, bergamot, geranium, khat, naswar, betel, shisha, pine, honey essence, rose oil, vanilla, lemon oil, orange oil, orange blossom, cherry blossom, cassia, caraway, cognac, jasmine, ylang-ylang, sage, fennel, wasabi, piment, ginger, coriander, coffee, hemp, a mint oil from any species of the genus Mentha, eucalyptus, star anise, cocoa, lemongrass, rooibos, flax, ginkgo biloba, hazel, hibiscus, laurel, mate, orange skin, rose, tea such as green tea or black tea, thyme, juniper, elderflower, basil, bay leaves, cumin, oregano, paprika, rosemary, saffron, lemon peel, mint, beefsteak plant, curcuma, cilantro, myrtle, cassis, valerian, pimento, mace, damien, marjoram, olive, lemon balm, lemon basil, chive, carvi, verbena, tarragon, limonene, thymol, camphene), flavour enhancers, bitterness receptor site blockers, sensorial receptor site activators or stimulators, sugars and/or sugar substitutes (e.g., sucralose, acesulfame potassium, aspartame, saccharine, cyclamates, lactose, sucrose, glucose, fructose, sorbitol, or mannitol), and other additives such as charcoal, chlorophyll, minerals, botanicals, or breath freshening agents. They may be imitation, synthetic or natural ingredients or blends thereof. They may be in any suitable form, for example, liquid such as an oil, solid such as a powder, or gas. In some embodiments, the flavour comprises menthol, spearmint and/or peppermint. In some embodiments, the flavour comprises flavour components of cucumber, blueberry, citrus fruits and/or redberry. In some embodiments, the flavour comprises eugenol. In some embodiments, the flavour comprises flavour components extracted from tobacco. In some embodiments, the flavour comprises flavour components extracted from cannabis.

In some embodiments, the flavour may comprise a sensate, which is intended to achieve a somatosensorial sensation which are usually chemically induced and perceived by the stimulation of the fifth cranial nerve (trigeminal nerve), in addition to or in place of aroma or taste nerves, and these may include agents providing heating, cooling, tingling, numbing effect. A suitable heat effect agent may be, but is not limited to, vanillyl ethyl ether and a suitable cooling agent may be, but not limited to eucolyptol or WS-3.

The flavour may be in the form of a flavour composition which comprises or consists of the flavour. The flavour composition may comprise the flavour and one or more other components, such as a flavour, or a solvent, such as water, ethanol, isopropanol, n- butanol, ethyl acetate, isopropyl acetate, butyl acetate, anisole, glycerol or propylene glycol. The inclusion of a solvent in the flavour composition may improve the homogeneity of the flavour in the aerosol-generating material and improve the absorption or adsorption of the flavour into the aerosol-generating material.

The aerosol-generating material may comprise an aerosol-former material. An aerosol-former material is a material that is capable of forming an aerosol. In some embodiments, the aerosol-former material may comprise one or more of glycerol, propylene glycol, diethylene glycol, triethylene glycol, tetraethylene glycol, 1,3- butylene glycol, erythritol, meso-Erythritol, ethyl vanillate, ethyl laurate, a diethyl suberate, triethyl citrate, triacetin, a diacetin mixture, benzyl benzoate, benzyl phenyl acetate, tributyrin, lauryl acetate, lauric acid, myristic acid, and propylene carbonate.

The aerosol-generating material may comprise one or more other materials. For example, the aerosol-generating material may comprise one or more of pH regulators, colouring agents, preservatives, binders, fillers, stabilizers, and/or antioxidants.

The aerosol-generating material may comprise particulate botanical material, such as tobacco or rooibos, a filler (e.g. microcrystalline cellulose or wood pulp), a binder (e.g. a cellulosic binder, such as carboxymethyl cellulose or a polysaccharide, such as glucomannan or amylopectin, or alginate) and aerosol former (e.g. glycerol and/or propylene glycol).

In an embodiment, the aerosol-generating material comprises powdered cellulosic material (e.g. microcrystalline cellulose) in an amount of about 1 to 7 wt%, binder (e.g. carboxymethyl cellulose) in an amount of about 1 to 20 wt%, botanical material (e.g. rooibos or tobacco) in an amount of 50 to 90% and aerosol former in an amount of about 5 to 30 wt%.

The aerosol-generating material may be prepared by providing an extruded pre-cursor material at a temperature above ambient temperature, applying a flavour composition to the extruded pre-cursor material and reducing the temperature of the extruded precursor material after the flavour composition has been applied to provide the aerosolgenerating material. The extruded pre-cursor material may be prepared by extruding a mixture comprising a botanical material, binder and aerosol former.

Figure 3a is a flow chart showing the key steps in a process for preparing the aerosolgenerating material. An extruded pre-cursor is provided at a temperature above ambient temperature and a flavour composition is applied to the pre-cursor material at the elevated temperature. After the flavour has been applied, the pre-cursor material is cooled to provide the aerosol-generating material.

As noted, the aerosol-generating material is prepared from an extruded pre-cursor material. Figure 3b is a flow chart showing the key steps in a process for producing the extruded pre-cursor material and preparing the aerosol-generating material. A binder, aerosol former and any other materials to be included in the extruded precursor, such as botanical material and/or filler are combined to form a mixture and extruded using an extruder equipped with an orifice, such as a shaping die.

In some embodiments, water may be added to the precursor composition as a processing aid. For example, the presence of water may help to dissolve components of the precursor composition, and/or it may assist with binding or improve agglomeration.

Extrusion may be performed using one of the main classes of extruders: screw, twin screw, sieve and basket, roll, and ram extruders. Forming the pre-cursor material by extrusion has the advantage that this processing combines mixing, conditioning, homogenizing and moulding of the precursor composition. During extrusion the mixture is exposed to elevated pressure and is forced though the orifice to form an extruded pre-cursor material. In some embodiments, the extruded pre-cursor material has an elongated form and/or it may be cut into segments of a desired length as it exits the extruder. A rod-like extruded pre-cursor material may subsequently be cut into segments of desired length.

The extruder may be operated without applying heat to the system (for example, at room/ambient temperature) or at an elevated temperature. Where the extruder is operated at an elevated temperature, the extruder may be operated at a temperatures of up to about 200 °C. After the pre-cursor material exits the die of the extruder, it may be cooled, for example to room temperature, to provide the extruded-precursor material.

The mixture may be exposed to pressures ranging from about 2 bar to about 100 bar, or from about 5 bar to about 60 bar, depending on the design of the die being used.

Due to the relatively high density of the extruded pre-cursor material and the relatively open surface of the particles within it, the aerosol-generating material may exhibit good heat transfer and mass transfer, which has a positive impact on the release of constituents, such as flavour once applied.

Flavour is applied to the extruded pre-cursor material. The flavour may be applied by applying a film of the flavour composition onto a surface of the pre-cursor material, spraying the flavour composition onto the pre-cursor material, applying droplets of the flavour composition onto a surface of the pre-cursor material or submerging the precursor material in a solution comprising the flavour composition.

Where the extruded-pre-cursor material is produced at an elevated temperature, the flavour can be applied to it whilst the pre-cursor material is at the elevated temperature. For example, the flavour may be applied directly to the pre-cursor material during its passage through the die of the extruder or immediately after it leaves the die. The pre-cursor material is then cooled to provide the aerosolgenerating material. This may improve the manufacturing efficiency of the process. Alternatively or in addition, the flavour may be applied directly to the pre-cursor material after it has been extruded and allowed to cool. For example, the pre-cursor material can be heated in an oven after extrusion and then the flavour can be applied to the heated pre-cursor material prior to cooling. Figure 4 shows a method of applying a flavour composition to a pre-cursor material 1' comprising a body 2'. The pre-cursor material 1' at a temperature higher than ambient temperature is moved in a transport direction D through the annulus 8a of a sponge ring 8 comprising the flavour composition. The diameter of the annulus 8a is about the same as, or slightly less than, an outer diameter of the body 2'. As the precursor material 1' passes through the annulus 8a, the outer surface of the body 2' contacts the sponge ring 8 and the flavour composition is transferred to the body 2' to provide the aerosol-generating material 1. The flavour composition of the sponge ring 8 may be continuously replenished and thus the flavour application process may be a continuous process.

The temperature of the pre-cursor aerosol-generating material may be raised by heating it using any suitable means. For example, the pre-cursor aerosol-generating material may be heated by convection heating (e.g. in an oven), microwave heating, infrared (IR) heating or conductive heating.

The flavour is applied to the extruded pre-cursor material when the extruded precursor material is at an elevated temperature (for example, a temperature above ambient temperature). It has been found that applying the flavour to the pre-cursor material when the pre-cursor material is at an elevated temperate improves the take up (e.g. by absorption or adsorption) of flavour into the body of aerosol-generating material compared with applying the flavour at ambient temperature. Without wishing to be bound by theory, it is postulated that the pre-cursor material is porous and that when the temperature of the pre-cursor material is elevated, it becomes more porous and so can absorb or adsorb higher quantities of the flavour composition. It is postulated that the channels of the aerosol-generating material improve absorption or adsorption of the flavour. This is particularly beneficial for flavours that are volatile. The presence of the air channels in the rod allows for better penetration of flavour throughout the material as opposed to rods without channels, or to the pre extruded mixture.

The temperature of the pre-cursor material when the flavour is applied may be from about 5 °C, 10 °C, 20 °C, 30 °C, 40 °C, 50 °C, 60 °C, 70 °C, 80 °C, 90 °C, 100 °C, 110 °C, 120 °C, 130 °C, 140 °C, 150 °C, 160 °C, 170 °C, 180 °C or 190 °C and/or up to about 10 °C, 20 °C, 30 °C, 40 °C, 50 °C, 60 °C, 70 °C, 80 °C, 90 °C, 100 °C, 110 °C, 120 °C, 130 °C, 140 °C, 150 °C, 160 °C, 170°C, 180 °C, 190 °C or 200 °C. The temperature of the pre-cursor material when the flavour is applied to it may be 10 °C to 200 °C, from 10 °C to 190 °C, from 10 °C to 180 °C, from 10 °C to 170 °C, from 10 °C to 160 °C, from 10 °C to 160 °C, from 10 °C to 150 °C, from 10 °C to 140

°C, from 10 °C to 130 °C or from 10 °C to 120 °C, in particular from 20 °C to 120 °C, from 30 °C to 120 °C, from 40 °C to 120 °C, from 50 °C to 120 °C, from 60 °C to 120

°C, from 70 °C to 120 °C, from 80 °C to 120 °C or from 90 °C to 120 °C.

The temperature to which the extruded pre-cursor material is heated prior to the application of the flavour may be referred to as the first temperature and the temperature to which the extruded pre-cursor material is cooled to after the application of the flavour may be referred to as the second temperature. The second temperature is lower than the first temperature.

After the flavour has been applied to the pre-cursor material, the temperature of the resultant aerosol-generating material is reduced.

The extrusion may be a generally dry process, with the mixture being extruded being a substantially dry material.

Liquids may be added to the mixture during the extrusion process. For example, water may be added to the precursor composition, for example as a processing aid to assist dissolution or solubilisation of components of the composition, or to aid binding or agglomeration. Alternatively or additionally, a wetting agent may be added to the precursor composition.

The liquid may be an aerosol former material such as glycerol or others discussed herein. When liquid is added to the mixture in this manner, the liquid is applied not only on the surface, but, as a result of the extruder pressure combined with the intensive mixing by high shear forces, the extruded pre-cursor material becomes impregnated with the liquid. Where the liquid is an aerosol former material, this can result in a high availability of the aerosol former material in the extruded pre-cursor material to enhance evaporation of flavour components and other components of the final aerosol-forming material.

In some embodiments, the amount of aerosol former material incorporated into the pre-cursor material and/or aerosol-generating material may be at least about 3% by weight, at least about 4%, 5%, 6%, 7%, 8%, 9%, 10%, 11%, 12%, 13%, 14%, 15%, 16%, 17%, 18%, 19% by weight, or at least about 20% by weight. In some embodiments, the amount of aerosol former material incorporated into the pre-cursor material and/or aerosol-generating material may be up to about 15%, up to about 16%, 17%, 18%, 19%, 20%, 21%, 22%, 23%, 24%, 25%, 26%, 27%, 28%, 29% by weight or up to about 30% by weight.

In some embodiments, aerosol former material is included in an amount of from about 3% to about 30% by weight of the pre-cursor material and/or aerosol-generating material, preferably in an amount of from about 10% to about 30% by weight of the component.

The extruded pre-cursor material may be shaped by the orifice or die through which it is forced. In some embodiments, the extruded pre-cursor material is cut into pieces of desired length. The pieces formed in this way may be used as tobacco constituent releasing components or they may undergo further processing.

The orifice or die may be shaped to provide a strand of extruded pre-cursor material. For example, the extruded pre-cursor material may have the form of a cylindrical rod. Alternatively, the extruded pre-cursor material may have different cross-sectional shapes, including oval, polygonal (such as triangular, square, etc.), and stars.

In some embodiments, the extruded pre-cursor material is formed into a desired shape selected to enhance or promote the release of flavour, for example by providing a form having a large surface area per unit volume. This large surface area may be provided on the outer surface of the extruded pre-cursor material, for example by selecting cross-sectional shapes with large perimeter.

The orifice or die may be shaped to provide an extruded pre-cursor material with inner channels. As explained above, these inner channels provide further surface area and can enhance flavour release. The channel structure of the aerosol-generating material has enlarged inner surface area leading to improved heat and mass transfer. As a result, such components exhibit better, more uniform aerosol delivery. Furthermore, the structure with channels exhibits significantly improved strength in both the radial and axial directions, which is beneficial for the further processing of the aerosolgenerating material, for example when it is cut into segments.

By means of various die designs and/or different process parameters within the extruder, including the temperature, pressure and shear forces, extruded pre-cursor materials with different physical properties may be prepared, including different heat transfer properties, draft resistance, and capable of producing different aerosols and/or of modifying aerosols being drawn through the extruded pre-cursor material. The make up of the precursor composition can also play a significant role in determining the physical and mechanical properties of the extruded material and, as a consequence, of the tobacco constituent releasing components.

In some embodiments, the extruded pre-cursor material is shaped upon discharge from the extruder. In some embodiments, the extruded pre-cursor material is cut to an initial length, for example, 1 metre, and allowed to cool before then being cut into sections of the desired length to provide tobacco constituent releasing components of the desired dimensions.

As noted previously, the extruded pre-cursor material is cooled after the application of the flavour to it. The extruded pre-cursor material may be cooled as it leaves the extruder and then re-heated before the flavour is applied, as described previously. In some embodiments, the cooling is intensive and involves exposing the extruded precursor material, which will be at an elevated temperature, for example from about 30°C to about 100°C, or from about 40°C to about 70°C, to a cooling means that will reduce the temperature to within a range of from about 0°C to about 25°C, or from 5°C to about 15°C. This rapid cooling of the extruded pre-cursor material may enhance the internal and external stability of the extruded pre-cursor material. In some embodiments, it is the die that is cooled to achieve this effect.

The cooling may take place gradually over a relatively long period of time. This may allow the flavour to better penetrate into the extruded pre-cursor material.

In some embodiments, it may be desirable to control the temperature of the precursor composition during extrusion, including before feeding the mixture through the die. This is especially the case where the precursor composition includes temperature sensitive components, such as aerosol former materials such as glycerol. Thus, in some embodiments, extrusion of the precursor composition includes reducing the temperature of the precursor composition before it reaches the die. Such cooling of the precursor composition may result in the formation of an extruded pre-cursor material with beneficial properties, or may improve the shaping process.

The aerosol-generating material may be incorporated into an article for use with a delivery system. An article is sometimes referred to as consumable throughout this disclosure. As used herein, the term "delivery system" is intended to encompass systems that deliver at least one substance to a user, and includes non-combustible aerosol provision systems that release compounds from an aerosol-generating material without combusting the aerosol-generating material, such as electronic cigarettes, tobacco heating products, and hybrid systems to generate aerosol using a combination of aerosol-generating materials.

The article is for use in a non-combustible aerosol provision system. According to the present disclosure, a "non-combustible" aerosol provision system is one where a constituent aerosol-generating material of the aerosol provision system (or component thereof) is not combusted or burned in order to facilitate delivery of at least one substance to a user.

In some embodiments, the delivery system is a non-combustible aerosol provision system, such as a powered non-combustible aerosol provision system.

The non-combustible aerosol provision system can be an electronic cigarette, also known as a vaping device or electronic nicotine delivery system (END), although it is noted that the presence of nicotine in the aerosol-generating material is not a requirement.

The non-combustible aerosol provision system may be an aerosol-generating material heating system, also known as a heat-not-burn system. An example of such a system is a tobacco heating system.

In some embodiments, the non-combustible aerosol provision system is a hybrid system to generate aerosol using a combination of aerosol-generating materials, one or a plurality of which may be heated. Each of the aerosol-generating materials may be, for example, in the form of a solid, liquid or gel and may or may not contain nicotine. In some embodiments, the hybrid system comprises a liquid or gel aerosolgenerating material and a solid aerosol-generating material. The solid aerosolgenerating material may comprise, for example, tobacco or a non-tobacco product.

Typically, the non-combustible aerosol provision system may comprise a non- combustible aerosol provision device and a consumable for use with the non- combustible aerosol provision device. In some embodiments, the non-combustible aerosol provision system, such as a noncombustible aerosol provision device thereof, may comprise a power source and a controller. The power source may, for example, be an electric power source or an exothermic power source. In some embodiments, the exothermic power source comprises a carbon substrate which may be energised so as to distribute power in the form of heat to an aerosol-generating material or to a heat transfer material in proximity to the exothermic power source.

In some embodiments, the non-combustible aerosol provision system comprises an area for receiving the article for use in the non-combustible aerosol-provision system, a housing, a mouthpiece, a filter and/or an aerosol-modifying agent.

Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view of an article 9 for use in an aerosol delivery system.

The article 9 comprises a mouthpiece 10, and an aerosol-generating section 11, connected to the mouthpiece 10. In the present example, the aerosol-generating section 11 comprises a body of aerosol-generating material 2 in the form of a rod.

The article 9 comprises a downstream end 2b and an upstream end 2a distal from the downstream end 2b. The article 9 comprises a longitudinal axis X-X'. The aerosolgenerating section comprises aerosol-generating material in the form of a body 1 comprising channels 4a, 4b and a cavity 3a for receiving an aerosol generator, as described previously.

The mouthpiece 10 includes a cooling section 12, also referred to as a cooling element, positioned immediately downstream of and adjacent to the aerosolgenerating section 11. In the present example, the cooling section 12 is in an abutting relationship with the aerosol-generating material 2. The mouthpiece 2 also includes, in the present example, a body of material 13 downstream of the cooling section 12, and a hollow tubular element 14 downstream of the body of material 13, at the mouth end of the article 9.

The cooling section 12 is located defines an air gap within the mouthpiece 10 which acts as a cooling section. The air gap provides a chamber through which heated volatilised components generated by the aerosol-generating section 11. The cooling section 12 is hollow to provide a chamber for aerosol accumulation yet rigid enough to withstand axial compressive forces and bending moments that might arise during manufacture and whilst the article 9 is in use. The cooling section 12 provides a physical displacement between the aerosol-generating section 11 and the body of material 13. The physical displacement provided by the cooling section 12 can provide a thermal gradient across the length of the cooling section 12.

A tipping paper (not shown) is wrapped around the full length of the mouthpiece 10 and over part of the aerosol-generating section 11 and has an adhesive on its inner surface to connect the mouthpiece 10 and aerosol-generating section 11. In the present example, the aerosol-generating section 11 comprises a wrapper (not shown), which forms a first wrapping material, and the tipping paper forms an outer wrapping material which extends at least partially over the body of aerosol-generating material 2 to connect the mouthpiece 10 and aerosol-generating material 2. In some examples, the tipping paper can extend only partially over the rod of aerosol-generating material.

In the present embodiment, a moisture impermeable wrapper (not shown) circumscribes aerosol-generating material 2 and comprises a paper wrapper. In other embodiments, the wrapper comprises a aluminium foil, optionally comprising a barrier coating to make the material of the wrapper substantially moisture impermeable.

Aluminium foil has been found to be particularly effective at enhancing the formation of aerosol within the aerosol-generating material. In the present example, the aluminium foil has a metal layer having a thickness of about 6 pm. In the present example, the aluminium foil has a paper backing. However, in alternative arrangements, the aluminium foil can be other thicknesses, for instance between 4 pm and 16 pm in thickness. The aluminium foil also need not have a paper backing, but could have a backing formed from other materials, for instance to help provide an appropriate tensile strength to the foil, or it could have no backing material. Metallic layers or foils other than aluminium can also be used. The total thickness of the wrapper is preferably between 20 pm and 60 pm, more preferably between 30 pm and 50 pm, which can provide a wrapper having appropriate structural integrity and heat transfer characteristics. The tensile force which can be applied to the wrapper before it breaks can be greater than 3,000 grams force, for instance between 3,000 and 10,000 grams force or between 3,000 and 4,500 grams force. Where the wrapper comprises paper or a paper backing, i.e. a cellulose based material, the wrapper can have a basis weight greater than about 30 gsm. For example, the wrapper can have a basis weight in the range from about 40 gsm to about 70 gsm. Such basis weights provide an improved rigidity to the rod of aerosol-generating material. The improved rigidity provided by wrappers having a basis weight in this range can make aerosol- generating section 11 more resistant to crumpling or other deformation under the forces to which the article is subject, in use.

In the present example, the moisture impermeable wrapper is also substantially impermeable to air. In alternative embodiments, the wrapper preferably has a permeability of less than 100 Coresta Units, more preferably less than 60 Coresta Units. It has been found that low permeability wrappers, for instance having a permeability of less than 100 Coresta Units, more preferably less than 60 Coresta Units, result in an improvement in the aerosol formation in the aerosol-generating section 11. Without wishing to be bound by theory, it is hypothesised that this is due to reduced loss of aerosol compounds through the wrapper. The permeability of the wrapper can be measured in accordance with ISO 2965:2009 concerning the determination of air permeability for materials used as cigarette papers, filter plug wrap and filter joining paper.

The body of material 13 and hollow tubular element 14 each define a substantially cylindrical overall outer shape and share a common longitudinal axis. The body of material 13 is wrapped in a first plug wrap (not shown). Preferably, the first plug wrap has a basis weight of less than 50 gsm, more preferably between about 20 gsm and 40 gsm. Preferably, the first plug wrap has a thickness of between 30 pm and 60 pm, more preferably between 35 pm and 45 pm. Preferably, the first plug wrap is a non-porous plug wrap, for instance having a permeability of less than 100 Coresta units, for instance less than 50 Coresta units. However, in other embodiments, the first plug wrap can be a porous plug wrap, for instance having a permeability of greater than 200 Coresta Units.

In the present example, the body of material 13 is formed from filamentary tow. In the present example, the tow used in the body of material 13 has a denier per filament (d.p.f.) of 8.4 and a total denier of 21,000. Alternatively, the tow can, for instance, have a denier per filament (d.p.f.) of 9.5 and a total denier of 12,000. In the present example, the tow comprises plasticised cellulose acetate tow. The plasticiser used in the tow comprises about 7% by weight of the tow. In the present example, the plasticiser is triacetin. In other examples, different materials can be used to form the body of material 13. For instance, rather than tow, the body 13 can be formed from paper, for instance in a similar way to paper filters known for use in cigarettes. The article may have a ventilation level of about 10% of the aerosol drawn through the article. In alternative embodiments, the article can have a ventilation level of between 1% and 20% of aerosol drawn through the article, for instance between 1% and 12%. Ventilation at these levels helps to increase the consistency of the aerosol inhaled by the user at the mouth end 2b, while assisting the aerosol cooling process. The ventilation is provided directly into the mouthpiece 10 of the article 9. In the present example, the ventilation is provided into the cooling section 12, which has been found to be particularly beneficial in assisting with the aerosol generation process. The ventilation is provided via perforations, in the present case formed as a single row of laser perforations, positioned 13 mm from the downstream, mouth-end 2b of the mouthpiece 10. In alternative embodiments, two or more rows of ventilation perforations may be provided. These perforations pass though the tipping paper, second plug wrap and cooling section 12. In alternative embodiments, the ventilation can be provided into the mouthpiece at other locations, for instance into the body of material 13 or tubular element 14. Preferably, the article is configured such that the perforations are provided about 28mm or less from the upstream end of the article 9, preferably between 20mm and 28mm from the upstream end of the article 9. In the present example, the apertures are provided about 25mm from the upstream end of the article.

The body 2 has a cross sectional shape that is substantially the same as the cross sectional shape of the mouthpiece 10. The body 2 has a diameter that is substantially the same as a diameter of the mouthpiece 10.

The body 2 may have a pressure drop of from about 0.001 mmWg/mm to about 70 mmWg/mm or from about 1 to about 40 mmWg/mm. In the present embodiment, the body 2 has a pressure drop of up to 20 mmWg/mm.

The articles disclosed herein are suitable for use with a non-combustible aerosol provision device.

The aerosol-generating material and articles disclosed herein may be for use in a noncombustible aerosol provision device comprising an aerosol generator for insertion into the aerosol-generating material.

As shown Figure 6, the components of an embodiment of a non-combustible aerosol provision device 15 are shown in a simplified manner. Particularly, the elements of the non-combustible aerosol provision 15 are not drawn to scale in Figure 6. Elements that are not relevant for the understanding of this embodiment have been omitted to simplify Figure 6.

The non-combustible aerosol provision device 15 comprises a housing 16 comprising an area 17 for receiving an article. The area is in the form of a cavity, open at the proximal end (or mouth end) for receiving an aerosol-generating article. The distal end of the cavity is spanned by an aerosol-generating assembly comprising an aerosol generator 18. In this embodiment, the aerosol-generator is in the form of a resistively-heated elongate pin.

The aerosol generator 18 is retained by a heater mount (not shown) such that an active heating area of the aerosol generator is located within the cavity. The active heating area of the aerosol generator 18 is positioned within the aerosol-generating section of an aerosol-generating article when the aerosol-generating article is fully received within the cavity.

The aerosol generator 18 is configured for insertion into the aerosol-generating section of an aerosol-generating article. As noted above, the aerosol generator 18 is shaped in the form of a pin terminating in a rounded point. The pin has a length dimension that is greater than its width dimension.

Referring to Figure 7, in a pre-operational state, an article 9 for use with the noncombustible aerosol provision device 15 is provided. As previously described, the article 9 comprises an upstream end 2a adjacent to an aerosol-generating section 11. The article 9 also comprises a downstream end 2b distal from the aerosol-generating section 11 and adjacent mouthpiece 10. The aerosol-generating section 11 is configured to receive the aerosol generator 18 by moving the article 9 towards the aerosol-generator 18 of the device 15 and into the area 17. The aerosol generator 18 is received in the cavity 3a of the article 9.

Referring now to Figure 8, when the article 9 is received into the area 17, the wall of the cavity 3a comes into thermal proximity with the aerosol generator 803. When the article 9 is fully received in the area 17, the wall of the cavity 3a may be in direct contact with the aerosol generator 18.

When the aerosol-generator 18 is actuated it heats up and the body of aerosolgenerating material 2 is warmed and volatile substances are generated or evolved. As a user draws on the mouthpiece 10, air is drawn into the article 9 and the volatile substances condense to form an inhalable aerosol. This aerosol passes through the mouthpiece 10 of the article 9 and into the user's mouth.

The aerosol-generating material may release a range of volatile compounds at different temperatures. By controlling the maximum operation temperature of the device 15, the selective release of undesirable compounds may be controlled by preventing the release of select volatile compounds.

As shown in Figure 9, within the housing 16 there is an electrical energy supply 20, for example a rechargeable lithium ion battery. A controller 21 is connected to the aerosol generator 22, the electrical energy supply 20, and a user interface 23, for example a button or display. The controller 21 controls the power supplied to the aerosol generator 22 in order to regulate its temperature. Typically, the aerosolgenerating material is heated to a temperature of between 200 and 450 degrees Celsius.

Experimental

Extruded rods were manufactured by extruding a mixture of particulate tobacco, a cellulosic filler, a polysaccharide binder and aerosol former (glycerol and propylene glycol) to produce an extruded pre-cursor material.

A flavour composition comprising Flavour A and optionally ethanol (room temperature) was applied to the outer surface of 6 rods (rods 1-6). The rods were either at room temperature or at a temperature of 110 °C (achieved by heating the rods in an oven) when the flavour composition was applied. The flavour composition was applied using either a syringe (applying drops onto the surface of the rods) or by using a sponge (wiping the composition onto the surface of the rods) to provide aerosol-generating materials in rod form. The ability of the rods to take up the flavour composition was determined by visually examining the rods after application of the flavour composition. The results are shown in Table 1.

Table 1

The results show that the rods at room temperature and 110 °C did not take up the flavour in any significant amount using the syringe application method. By contrast, the rods at 110 °C took up a significant amount of the flavour using the sponge application method.

The experiment was repeated with a different flavour ("Flavour B") and the results are shown in Table 2.

Table 2

Similar to Flavour A, the results for Flavour B in Table 2 show that the rods at room temperature and 110 °C did not take up the flavour in any significant amount using the syringe application method. Where Flavour B was applied neat or with 10% ethanol, moderate flavour incorporation was observed. A significant amount of the flavour composition was incorporated when the amount of ethanol in the flavour composition was increased. This shows the effect that adding a solvent, such as ethanol, can have on improving the flavour take up.

The mass of the flavour composition incorporated into some of the rods (made using the sponge application method) was estimated by measuring the mass of the rods before and after application. The results are shown in Table 3.

Table 3

The results in Table 3 show that the flavour composition was incorporated into the rods. The various embodiments described herein are presented only to assist in understanding and teaching the claimed features. These embodiments are provided as a representative sample of embodiments only, and are not exhaustive and/or exclusive. It is to be understood that advantages, embodiments, examples, functions, features, structures, and/or other aspects described herein are not to be considered limitations on the scope of the invention as defined by the claims or limitations on equivalents to the claims, and that other embodiments may be utilised and modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the claimed invention. Various embodiments of the invention may suitably comprise, consist of, or consist essentially of, appropriate combinations of the disclosed elements, components, features, parts, steps, means, etc, other than those specifically described herein. In addition, this disclosure may include other inventions not presently claimed, but which may be claimed in future.

Claims

1. An aerosol-generating material in the form of a body comprising: a cavity for receiving an aerosol generator of an aerosol provision device; two or more channels extending through the body, each channel of the two or more channels being defined by a continuous perimeter wall; and a flavour.

2. An aerosol-generating material as claimed in claim 1, wherein the body is formed from a non-tobacco botanical material.

3. An aerosol-generating material in the form of a body formed from a nontobacco botanical material comprising: two or more channels extending through the body, each channel of the two or more channels being defined by a continuous perimeter wall; and a flavour.

4. An aerosol-generating material as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the body comprises: binder; one or more actives; aerosol former; optionally a filler.

5. An aerosol-generating material as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the body is an extruded body.

6. An aerosol-generating material as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the aerosol-generating material is porous and optionally wherein the aerosolgenerating material comprises a surface and the flavour is absorbed or adsorbed on the surface of the aerosol-generating material.

7. An aerosol-generating material as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the total surface area of the peripheral walls of the channels is from about to about 40 mm² to about 1000 mm² per mm length of the body.

8. An aerosol-generating material as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the aerosol-generating material comprises the flavour in an amount of up to about 30 mg.

9. An aerosol-generating material as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein at least one, more than one or all of the channels comprises a cross-sectional area of at least 0.1 mm².

10. An article for use with a non-combustible aerosol provision device, the article comprising the aerosol-generating material as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 9.

11. A process for preparing an aerosol-generating material, the process comprising: providing an extruded pre-cursor material; applying a flavour composition to the extruded pre-cursor material; and reducing the temperature of the extruded pre-cursor material after the flavour composition has been applied to provide the aerosol-generating material.

12. A process as claimed in claim 11, wherein the extruded pre-cursor material is provided at a temperature of greater than ambient temperature.

13. A process for preparing an aerosol-generating material, the process comprising: providing an extruded pre-cursor material at a temperature greater than ambient temperature; applying a flavour composition to the extruded pre-cursor material while it is at the temperature greater than ambient temperature; and reducing the temperature of the extruded pre-cursor material after the flavour composition has been applied to provide the aerosol-generating material.

14. A process as claimed in any one of claims 11 to 13, wherein the process comprises extruding a mixture at a first temperature to provide the extruded precursor material and wherein the temperature of the extruded pre-cursor material is reduced to a second temperature, optionally wherein the process comprises applying a film of the flavour composition onto a surface of the pre-cursor material, spraying the flavour composition onto the pre-cursor material, applying droplets of the flavour composition onto a surface of the pre-cursor material or submerging the pre-cursor material in a solution comprising the flavour composition, optionally wherein the flavour composition comprises a flavour and a solvent.

15. An aerosol-generating material produced by a process as claimed in any one of claims 11 to 14.