BR112015032057B1 - A smoking article comprising a wrapper disposed over the tobacco column, a method comprising binding particles of functional material and a brightener in a polymeric binder, and wrapping for a smoking article - Google Patents

Abstract

SMOKING ARTICLE WITH A PACKAGE CONTAINING PARTICLE. The invention relates to a smoking article which includes a tobacco column and a wrapper disposed over the tobacco column. The shell includes a plurality of aggregated particles. The aggregated particles include particles of functional material and a bleach bound in a polymeric binder. The functional material particles can be a catalyst or an oxidant, such as an iron oxide-containing particle. The bleach may be calcium carbonate.

Description

[0001] This disclosure relates to wrappers for smoking articles, wherein the wrapper contains a plurality of aggregated particles. This disclosure also pertains to smoking articles having such a wrapper.

[0002] Smoking articles such as cigarettes typically have shredded tobacco (usually in the form of cut filler) surrounded by a paper wrapper, thus forming a tobacco column. A cigarette is used by a smoker by lighting one end of the cigarette and burning the tobacco column. The smoker then receives the main smoke by puffing on the opposite end or mouth end of the cigarette, which typically contains a filter. Shredded tobacco may be a single type of tobacco or a mixture of two or more types of tobacco.

[0003] The smoking articles may include one or more wrappers, which are generally formed from paper. Examples of such wrappers include cigarette paper that circumscribes the tobacco column and tip paper that attaches the filter to the tobacco column. Typically, these wrappers are white and visible to the consumer. As such, many consumers have come to expect smoking articles, or certain portions of smoking articles, to retain a white appearance.

[0004] In some cases, it may be desirable to add a functional material to a wrapper for a smoking article so that the functional material can interact with the smoke produced by the combustion of the tobacco column. By way of example, iron oxide particles can be added to smoking articles to reduce carbon monoxide levels in mainstream smoke. However, the addition of such functional material (which naturally has a dark color) to wrappers for smoking articles tends to result in discoloration of the wrapper. This may be undesirable for consumers who have come to expect smoking articles, or certain portions of smoking articles, to maintain a white appearance.

[0005] In some cases, to mask such discoloration, it has been proposed to include a second wrapper, which would contain no functional material, around the outside of the wrapper that contains the functional material. However, the use of such an additional wrapper may not sufficiently mask the discoloration of the underlying wrapper and may cause other problems, such as increased paper aroma in the smoke of the double-wrapped smoking article over the expected aroma of a single-wrapped smoking article. once.

[0006] The use of functional material, such as catalyst particles or oxidizers, can present different challenges than the potential discoloration of a casing. For example, during smoking, semi-volatile or non-volatile combustion products, such as tar, can deposit on the functional material particles and effectively prevent the functional material particles from interacting with the smoke in the intended manner.

[0007] Therefore, it would be desirable to provide a wrapper for a smoking article which contains functional material without having any of the above-described disadvantages normally associated with such wrappers.

[0008] In accordance with a first aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a smoking article with a tobacco column and a wrapper disposed over the tobacco column. The shell includes a plurality of aggregated particles, with each aggregated particle containing particles of functional material, a bleach and a polymeric binder. Each aggregate particle has an inner core that contains at least some of the particles of functional material. At least some of the bleach is distributed over the outer surface of the inner core, and the polymeric binder binds the components of each aggregated particle.

[0009] The inventors have demonstrated that by providing a plurality of aggregated particles, with each aggregated particle containing particles of functional material in its inner core, and a brightener distributed over the outer surface of the inner core, the particles of functional material can be at least partially obscured from the view of a consumer, without unduly affecting the ability of the functional material to interact with the smoke produced by the smoking article. This can allow a generally white wrapper to include particles of functional material, such as particles containing iron oxide, which are normally naturally dark in color, without unduly affecting the ability of the functional material to interact with smoke produced by the article to smoke. Furthermore, this can avoid the need for double packaging of the smoking article, and thus avoid undesirable increases in paper grades during smoking and undesired complexity in the manufacturing process for the smoking article. These and other advantages will be readily understood by those skilled in the art upon reading the disclosure presented herein.

[00010] As used herein, "functional material" means material that captures or converts smoke components from the smoking article or releases flavoring materials into the smoke produced by the smoking article. Such functional materials include, for example, sorbent, catalyst and flavoring materials.

[00011] Preferably, the functional material includes a catalyst or oxidant capable of removing or converting a component of mainstream smoke during smoking of the smoking article. For example, the functional material may include a metal oxide, such as iron oxide, copper oxide, titanium dioxide or cerium oxide. A particularly preferred functional material is iron oxide-containing particles which facilitate the conversion of carbon monoxide to carbon dioxide or are converted, after heating, to particles which facilitate the conversion of carbon monoxide to carbon dioxide. Examples of such particles include iron oxide (Fe2O3) particles, iron oxyhydroxide (FeOOH) particles, like particles, and combinations of such particles.

[00012] Preferably, the particles of functional material have an average size of about 0.1 micrometer to about 6 micrometer. Even more preferably, the particles of functional material have an average size of about 0.1 micrometer to about 2 micrometer. In a preferred embodiment, the particles of functional material have an average size of about 1 micrometer.

[00013] Any suitable bleach may be used in accordance with the teachings presented in this disclosure. For example, suitable bleaches that can be bonded to particles of functional material by the polymeric binder include calcium carbonate (CaCO3), titanium dioxide (TiO2), zinc oxide (ZnO), barium sulfate (BaSO4), talc, clay, other similar brighteners and combinations of such brighteners. Preferably, however, the bleach comprises calcium carbonate. Calcium carbonate is well known and widely used in the manufacture of wrappers for smoking articles. Therefore, calcium carbonate is a particularly preferred brightener for the present invention as it can provide the aggregated particles with identical or similar properties to the particles normally used in the manufacture of wrappers for smoking articles.

[00014] Preferably, the bleach is supplied in the form of nanoparticles. That is, the bleach preferably includes particles having an average size of about 950 nanometers or less. Typically, nanoparticles will have an average size of about 1 nanometer or more. Preferably, the nanoparticles have an average size of about 20 nanometers to about 500 nanometers. For example, nanoparticles can have an average size of about 40 nanometers to about 100 nanometers, such as about 70 nanometers. Without intending to be bound by theory, the use of these small nanoscale bleaching particles is thought to increase the likelihood that the aggregated particles have the most particles of functional material located in the inner core of each aggregated particle, and the majority of the bleach particles located on the surface of the inner core of each aggregated particle.

[00015] Preferably, at least some of the brighteners form a porous coating on the inner core of each aggregated particle so that the particles of functional material in the inner core can interact with components of the smoke produced by the smoking article. An example of a porous bleach is calcium carbonate.

[00016] The bleach may consist of bleach particles having an average size of less than about 30% of the average particle size of the functional material. Preferably, the bleach particles have an average size of less than about 15% of the average particle size of functional material, even more preferably, less than about 10% of the average particle size of functional material. In a preferred embodiment, the bleach particles have an average size of about 7% of the average particle size of the functional material. Without intending to be bound by theory, the use of particles with such ratios is thought to increase the likelihood that aggregate particles have the majority of the functional material particles located in the inner core of each aggregate particle, and the majority of the bleach particles located on the surface of the inner core of each aggregated particle.

[00017] Preferably, the aggregated particles have an average size of about 0.5 micrometers to about 10 micrometers. In particularly preferred embodiments, the plurality of aggregated particles have an average size of from about 1 micrometer to about 5 micrometers, even more preferably from about 1 micrometer to about 3 micrometers. In a preferred embodiment, the plurality of aggregated particles have an average size of about 2 micrometers. Such sizes are comparable to the average particle size of standard filler particles, such as calcium carbonate particles, which are commonly used as fillers in the manufacture of wrappers for smoking articles. This therefore allows the plurality of aggregated particles to be incorporated into the wrapper of the smoking article with conventional processes and machinery. Furthermore, this also allows for patterned filler particles, such as calcium carbonate particles, or a portion thereof, to be readily replaced by the aggregated particles without adding significant complexity to the shell manufacturing process.

[00018] Preferably, the aggregated particles form between about 10% and 40% by weight of the shell, even more preferably, between about 30% by weight of the shell. This corresponds to the amount of filler material normally used for wrappers of smoking articles.

[00019] The aggregated particles may include any suitable weight ratio of particles of functional material, bleach and polymeric binder. If the functional material particles are a catalyst or oxidant, the ratio of functional material particles, bleach and polymeric binder will preferably be adjusted to allow sufficient functional activity of the functional material particles. Preferably, a balance is reached in the ratio of brightener to particles of functional material so that the desired whiteness is achieved while maintaining functional activity.

[00020] For example, the weight ratio between functional material and bleach particles is from about 1:2 to about 1:10. Such weight ratios can be effective, for example, in maintaining the activity of the iron oxide particles. Preferably, the weight ratio of particles of functional material to bleach is from about 1:3 to about 1:7. As indicated by the Examples provided below, such weight ratios can be effective in maintaining acceptable iron oxide particle activity or other functionality of other functional materials, while maintaining an acceptable white appearance.

[00021] The aggregated particles may have weight ratios between functional material particles and polymeric binder and bleach of from about 1:1:2 to about 1:1:10. Preferably, the aggregated particles have weight ratios between particles of functional material and polymeric binder and bleach of from about 1:1:3 to about 1:1:7. As indicated by the Examples provided below, such weight ratios can be effective in maintaining acceptable iron oxide particle activity or other functionality of other functional materials, while maintaining an acceptable white appearance.

[00022] Any suitable polymeric binder can be used to bind the particles of functional material and the brightener into a plurality of aggregated particles. When the particles of functional material include a catalyst or oxidant, such as an iron oxide-containing particle, the polymeric binder preferably decomposes, evaporates, or otherwise exposes the bound catalyst or oxidant after heating to a temperature reached during smoking, but not at a temperature reached during storage. For example, the polymeric binder can decompose, evaporate, or otherwise expose the previously bound catalyst or oxidant when exposed to temperatures of about 100°C or greater, but not when exposed to temperatures below about 100°C. Preferably, the polymeric binder decomposes, evaporates or otherwise exposes the prebound catalyst or oxidant when exposed to temperatures of about 200°C or greater, but not when exposed to temperatures below about 200°C. More preferably, the polymeric binder decomposes, evaporates or otherwise exposes the pre-bound catalyst or oxidant when exposed to temperatures of about 250°C or greater, but not when exposed to temperatures below about 250°C. Typically, the polymeric binder decomposes, evaporates, or exposes the catalyst or oxidant when exposed to a temperature of about 500°C or less.

[00023] Preferably, only after heating the aggregated particles during smoking are catalysts and oxidants exposed to the combustion area of the smoking article. This limits the potential visibility of particles of functional material exclusively to those areas that reach the necessary temperatures during smoking.

[00024] When the polymeric binder binds particles of functional material that include a catalyst, an oxidant, or other functional materials for which it is desirable to expose the material to smoke, the polymeric binder prevents or reduces the deposition of smoke constituents on the particles. so as to prevent or reduce effective deactivation of particles by deposition of smoke constituents.

[00025] In embodiments, the polymer binder is permeable to mainstream smoke. In such embodiments, the polymeric binder need not decompose, evaporate or otherwise expose the particles of functional material, especially when the material is a catalyst, oxidant or other functional material, to temperatures reached during smoking.

[00026] Examples of polymeric binders that can be used to bind the functional material particles and the bleach to a plurality of aggregated particles include celluloses, starches, starch-based polymers, waxes, polyvinyl alcohols, polyethylene oxides, polyesters , alginates, pectins and the like. Preferably, the polymeric binder is a starch or starch-based polymers. For example, the polymeric binder may be a native potato starch.

[00027] The plurality of aggregated particles may be formed in any suitable manner. For example, aggregated particles can be formed by drying, dissolving or suspending particles of functional material, bleach, polymeric binder and any other components in a solvent or other suitable liquid, and drying to remove the solvent or liquid. In such cases, the solvent or liquid is preferably an aqueous solvent or an aqueous liquid. As used herein, "aqueous" means comprising about 50% or more water, preferably 75% or more water, more preferably 90% or more water. Of course, non-aqueous or liquid solvents can be used. For example, alcohol-based solvents or liquids, such as ethanol-based solvents or liquids, can be used.

[00028] Preferably, the drying comprises spray drying. Natural polymeric binders, such as cellulose and starch-based materials, are preferably used when spray drying processes are used.

[00029] In preferred embodiments, a flocculated stream of a slurry comprising particles of functional material, bleach, polymeric binder and solvent or liquid is used to generate the aggregated particles. Flocculated flux is believed to result in higher concentrations of bleach on the surface than fluxes that are previously homogenized, which can result in higher concentrations of functional material particles on the surface.

[00030] The aggregated particles can be applied to a paper component of a smoking article in any suitable manner. As used herein, a "paper component of a smoking article" includes precursors of paper components for a smoking article, such as sheets or webs of paper before being cut for incorporation into a smoking article. Paper components of smoking articles include, but are not limited to, cigarette paper or cigarette paper precursor sheets, plug wrappers or plug wrapper precursor sheets, and tip paper or tip paper precursor sheets.

[00031] In embodiments, the aggregated particles are coated onto a paper component of a smoking article. Aggregate particles may be dissolved or suspended and coated onto a surface of a paper substrate, which may be a wet-base or dry-base web, by printing, spraying, rolling or any other suitable coating technique. The coating can be applied to the inner surface of the paper component, the outer surface of the paper component, or both the inner and outer surfaces of the paper component. Preferably, the coating is applied to the inner surface of the paper component, especially when the particles of functional material included in the aggregate particle are a catalyst. As used herein, an inner surface of a paper component is the surface of the paper component that faces the longitudinal axis of the smoking article when incorporated into the smoking article.

[00032] A coating of aggregated particles can be applied to the paper component of a smoking article at any suitable thickness. For example, a coating of aggregated particles can be from about 0.05 micrometer to about 2 micrometer thick. Preferably, a coating of aggregated particles is at least about 1 micrometer thick.

[00033] Preferably, the aggregated particles are incorporated into a paper component of a smoking article as a filler during the papermaking process. In embodiments, the aggregated particles replace part or all of the calcium carbonate filler commonly used as a filler in the papermaking process. Aggregate particle sizes of about 10 micrometers or less allow ready replacement for calcium carbonate particles. The use of a nanoscale bleach, such as calcium carbonate nanoparticles, can facilitate keeping the average aggregate particle size at about 10 micrometers or less.

[00034] According to a second aspect of this disclosure, there is provided a method of forming a shell that contains a plurality of aggregated particles. The method includes the steps of joining particles of functional material and a bleach in a polymeric binder so as to produce a plurality of aggregate particles, each aggregate particle having an inner core containing at least some of the particles of functional material, with at least some of the bleach distributed over the outer surface of the inner core; and contacting a substrate of a wrapper of a smoking article with the plurality of aggregated particles.

[00035] According to a third aspect of this disclosure, a wrapper for a smoking article is provided, the wrapper includes a plurality of aggregated particles, with each aggregated particle containing particles of functional material, a bleach and a polymeric binder. Each aggregate particle has an inner core that contains at least some of the particles of functional material. At least some of the bleach is distributed over the outer surface of the inner core, and the polymeric binder binds the components of each aggregated particle.

[00036] It will be understood that any of the features described above in connection with the first aspect of this disclosure may be equally applicable to the second and third aspects of this disclosure mentioned above, either separately or in combination with each other.

[00037] It will also be noted that, in certain embodiments, each aggregate particle may include some particles of functional material outside its inner core. However, preferably each such aggregated particle includes fewer particles of functional material outside its inner core than particles of functional material within the inner core.

[00038] Alternatively or additionally, it will be appreciated that, in some embodiments, each aggregate particle may include some bleach within its inner core. Preferably, however, each such aggregated particle includes less bleach within its inner core than bleach outside its inner core, such as on the surface of its inner core.

[00039] Preferably, the shell having the plurality of aggregated particles is a white shell. For purposes of the present disclosure, a "white" wrapper is a wrapper that has a gloss of about 35% or greater, as determined by the method ISO 24701:2009: "Paper, board and pulps -- Diffuse reflectance factor measurement in blue -- Part 1: Indoor light conditions (ISO brightness)." Preferably, the wrapper has an ISO brightness of about 40% or more. More preferably, the wrapper has an ISO brightness of about 45% or greater. Most preferably, the wrapper has an ISO brightness of about 50% or greater. Typically, the housing has an ISO brightness of about 90% or less.

[00040] All scientific and technical terms used in this document have meanings commonly used in the art unless otherwise specified. The definitions provided in this document are intended to facilitate understanding of certain terms frequently used in this document.

[00041] As used herein, the singular forms "a", "an", and "the" encompass modalities with plural referents, unless the content clearly dictates otherwise.

[00042] As used in this document, "or" is generally used in its sense including "and/or" unless the content clearly dictates otherwise. The term "and/or" means one or all of the listed elements or a combination of two or more of the listed elements.

[00043] As used herein, "having", "having", "includes", "including", "comprises", "comprising" or similar are used in their open sense and generally mean "including, but not limited to The". It will be understood that "consisting essentially of", "consisting of" and the like are subsumed under "comprising" and the like.

[00044] As used herein, the term "particle size" refers to the largest cross-sectional dimension of an individual particle within the particulate material. The "average" particle size refers to the arithmetic mean of the particle size for the particles. The particle size distribution for a sample of particulate material can be determined using a known sieving test.

[00045] The words "preferred" and "preferably" refer to embodiments of the invention that may have certain benefits under certain circumstances. However, other modalities may also be preferred, under the same or other circumstances. Furthermore, the recitation of one or more preferred embodiments does not imply that other embodiments are not useful, and is not intended to exclude other embodiments from the scope of the disclosure, including the claims.

[00046] Any compound or particle described in this disclosure includes any hydrate, solvate or polymorph of the compound or particle. For example, as used herein "iron oxyhydroxide" includes hydrated and unhydrated forms of iron oxyhydroxide.

[00047] Figure 1 is a schematic perspective view of an embodiment of a partially unfolded smoking article. The smoking article depicted in Figure 1 illustrates one or more embodiments of smoking articles or components of a smoking article described above. Figure 2 is a schematic drawing of an aggregated particle described above. Schematic drawings are not necessarily to scale and are presented by way of illustration, not limitation. The drawing depicts one or more aspects described in this disclosure. However, it will be understood that other aspects not depicted in the figure will be within the scope and spirit of this disclosure.

[00048] Referring now to Figure 1, a smoking article 10, in this case a cigarette, is pictured. The smoking article 10 includes a column 20, such as a tobacco column, and a mouth-end filter segment 30. The pictured smoking article 10 includes wrappers as paper components, which include paper wrappers 60, paper cigarette holder 40, and tip paper 50, to which aggregate particles described above can be applied. In the depicted embodiment, plug housing 60 circumscribes at least a portion of filter segment 30. Cigarette paper 40 circumscribes at least a portion of column 20. Tip paper 50 or other suitable wrapping circumscribes plug housing 60 and a portion of cigarette paper 40 as is generally known in the art. Preferably, the above-described aggregate particles are applied to cigarette paper 40, which is typically white.

[00049] Figure 2 illustrates an aggregated particle in accordance with the present invention. As can be seen from Figure 2, the aggregate particle 70 includes particles of functional material, in this case iron oxyhydroxide particles, 75 in the inner core of the aggregate particle 70, and bleach particles, in this case calcium carbonate particles. , 78 on the surface of the inner core of the aggregated particle. Although not shown, a polymeric binder bonds the calcium carbonate particles 78 and the iron oxyhydroxide particles 75 within the aggregated particle.

[00050] Non-limiting examples illustrating aggregated particles that include particles of functional material and a brightener bound in a polymeric binder, and incorporation of aggregated particles into a wrapper, such as cigarette paper, of a smoking article, are discussed below.

Examples

[00051] In the following examples, aggregated particles include iron oxyhydroxide (FeOOH) as functional material particles, calcium carbonate (CaCO3) particles as bleach particles, and native potato starch as polymeric binder. One skilled in the art will understand that the concepts illustrated in the following examples can be readily applied to other particles of functional material, other bleaches and other polymeric binders.

[00052] In one example, aggregate particles were formed by mixing iron oxyhydroxide particles, calcium carbonate particles (MULTIFEX-MM, Specialty Minerals Precipitated Ultrafine Nano/Ultrafine Calcium Carbonate) and potato starch in water and spray drying. The calcium carbonate particles had an average size of about 70 nanometers. Milling of granular and commercial grade oxyhydroxide particles was carried out to produce particles with the target size of 1-2 microns, suitable for inclusion in the aggregated particles. Iron oxyhydroxide particles with an initial granular size of 30-50 mesh were used for this purpose. Wet and dry grinding treatments have been used in the refinement of FeOOH granules, but wet grinding is preferred. After 15 minutes of wet grinding treatment, a d90 diameter of 1.16 microns was obtained.

[00053] Various ratios of the iron oxyhydroxide particles, calcium carbonate particles and potato starch were mixed and dried. Images of resulting aggregate particles are shown in Figure 3, which shows aggregated particles resulting from weight ratios between FeOOH particles and starch and calcium carbonate of 1:1:1, 1:1:3, 1:1:5, and 1:1:7. Calcium carbonate particles had an average size of about 70 nanometers. The FeOOH particles were dry ground particles with an average size of about 1 micrometer. Aggregate particles obtained from flocculating and homogenized processes were obtained.

[00054] As shown in Figure 3, larger amounts of calcium carbonate resulted in increased whiteness of the particles. Naturally, the amount of calcium carbonate or other bleach that could be added to the mixture is preferably as small as possible in order to maintain the ratio of iron oxyhydroxide (or other functional material)/calcium carbonate (or other bleach) high enough to maintain acceptable functional or catalytic activity after formation of the aggregated particles.

[00055] As also shown in Figure 3, the process or mechanical loading of slurry mixing can affect the whiteness of the resulting aggregated particles, with flocculated particles appearing whiter than the homogenized particles. Without intending to be bound by theory, it is believed that this is due, albeit in part, to the fact that the flocculated flow is lighter than the homogenized one. Without prior homogenization of the slurry prior to the spray drying process, the calcium carbonate particles will flocculate to the surface of the catalyst particle while the polymeric binder will bind the calcium carbonate, not coat it. As a consequence, the powder of aggregated particles will be lighter. The homogenized flow produces a greater amount of oxyhydroxide particles on the aggregate surface than the initially flocculated flow, and the powder of the aggregated particles appears darker. Since flocculated particles appear whiter than homogenized particles, it may be advantageous to employ flocculated fluxes, as this may allow for higher ratios between functional material and bleach, which may result in higher functional activity while maintaining whiteness.

[00056] Electron microscopy and thermogravimetric analysis techniques indicated that iron oxyhydroxides particles were located inside the inner core of an aggregated particle and that nanoscale calcium carbonate particles were located on the surface outer core of the aggregated particle (data not shown).

[00057] Experiments were conducted in order to test the catalytic activity of starch-bonded iron oxyhydroxide particles, together with calcium carbonate particles, to a plurality of aggregated particles, compared to dry-ground FeOOH powder. .

[00058] Briefly, a powder sample of FeOOH particles (Sample A), and an equal-sized powder sample of aggregated particles consisting of calcium carbonate particles with an average size of about 70 nanometers, FeOOH particles with size medium of about 1 micrometer, and native potato starch in a ratio of 5:1:1 (Sample B), were tested separately in a quartz glass tube. The samples were located between two layers of quartz wool inside the tube. The tube had an internal diameter of 9 mm, an external diameter of 12.5 mm and a length of 500 mm. The 300 mm long central part of the tube was located inside an electrically heated oven.

[00059] Carbon monoxide gas was passed through the tube at a rate of 1000 millimeters/minute, and a non-series gas analysis was conducted with Gasmet FT-IR to determine the level of carbon dioxide produced. The gas analysis for Sample A is shown in Figure 4 and the gas analysis for Sample B is shown in Figure 5.

[00060] The experiments revealed that the catalytic activity of the iron oxyhydroxide particles in aggregated particles from Sample B was comparable (in some cases, even better than a) to the catalytic activity of the standard iron oxyhydroxide particles from the Sample THE.

[00061] A summary of catalytic activity results is shown in Table 1 below, where 1:1:5 and 1:1:3 represent the weight ratios between iron oxyhydroxide and starch and calcium carbonate.

[00062] Aggregate particles described above were incorporated into cigarette wrappers by the conventional papermaking process. Aggregate particles have replaced calcium carbonate as a filler in the papermaking process. Calcium carbonate is normally incorporated into cigarette paper as a filler at 30% by weight of the paper and typically has an average particle size of about 2 micrometers (1.9 micrometers in this example). Therefore, in this example, the aggregated particles were incorporated as filler in an amount of 30% by weight of paper. Aggregate particles formed from weight ratios of 1:1:3 and 1:1:5 between iron oxyhydroxide and starch and calcium carbonate (as described above) were used. The whiteness of such paper was compared to typical cigarette paper that includes 30% calcium carbonate particles (1.9 micron particles), as well as to paper in which iron oxyhydroxide-containing aggregate particles (crushed as described above ) replaced a portion of the calcium carbonate particle filler (15% by weight calcium carbonate, 15% by weight iron oxyhydroxide in one case and 24% by weight calcium carbonate, 6% by weight in another case).

[00063] Images of the resulting paper are illustrated in Figure 6, which, from right to left, are (i) conventional cigarette paper (30% by weight calcium carbonate; (ii) cigarette paper including 15% by weight weight of calcium carbonate and 15% by weight of standard iron oxyhydroxide; (iii) cigarette paper including 24% by weight of calcium carbonate and 6% by weight of standard iron oxyhydroxide; (iv) paper of cigarette, including 30% by weight of aggregated particles (1:1:3), and (v) cigarette paper, including 30% by weight of aggregated particles (1:1:5). incorporation of even small amounts (4% by weight) of standard iron oxyhydroxide particles resulted in significant discoloration of the paper, whereas incorporation of particles containing iron oxyhydroxide particles resulted in a whiter appearance.

[00064] According to ISO gloss testing, conventional cigarette paper had a gloss of about 88%. The incorporation of standard iron oxyhydroxide particles dropped the ISO brightness by up to about 20%. When the cigarette paper included the aggregated particles, an ISO brightness of up to about 50% was obtained.

[00065] In light of the above, aggregated particles containing particles of functional material can be incorporated into cigarette wrappers through conventional papermaking processes while strongly masking the color of particles of functional material, and without unduly affecting the ability of the functional material to interact with the smoke produced by the smoking article. It also appears that the aggregated particles can replace all or only part of the particles, such as calcium carbonate particles, which are commonly used in conventional cigarette base paper as filler compounds.

Claims (15)

1. A smoking article (10), characterized in that it comprises: a tobacco column (20); and a wrapper (50) disposed over the tobacco column (20), the wrapper (50) comprising a plurality of aggregate particles (70), each aggregate particle (70) comprising particles of functional material (75), a bleach (78) ) and a polymeric binder, wherein each aggregate particle (70) has an inner core comprising at least some of the functional material particles (75), and wherein at least some of the bleach (78) is distributed on the outer surface of the inner core , and wherein the polymeric binder binds the components of each aggregated particle (70). 2. A smoking article (10) according to claim 1, characterized in that the brightener (78) forms a porous coating on the inner core of each aggregated particle (70), so that the particles of functional material ( 75) in the inner core can interact with components of smoke produced by the smoking article (10). 3. A smoking article (10) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the average size of the plurality of aggregated particles (70) is from 0.5 micrometers to 10 micrometers. 4. A smoking article (10) according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the average particle size of functional material (75) is from 0.1 micrometers to 6 micrometers. A smoking article (10) according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the whitener (78) comprises whitening particles with an average size of 950 nanometers or less. A smoking article (10) according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the bleach (78) comprises bleaching particles with an average size of less than 30% of the average particle size of functional material. A smoking article (10) according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the functional material (75) comprises a catalyzing material. A smoking article (10) according to claim 7, characterized in that the catalyst material comprises a metal oxide. A smoking article (10) according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that the bleach (78) comprises calcium carbonate particles. A smoking article (10) according to any one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that the at least one aggregate particle (70) comprises a weight ratio between functional material (75) and bleach (78) of 1 :3 to 1:7. A smoking article (10) according to any one of claims 1 to 10, characterized in that the wrapper (50) comprises a paper web and a filler and wherein the filler comprises the plurality of aggregated particles (70). A smoking article (10) according to any one of claims 1 to 11, characterized in that the wrapper (50) comprises a substrate and the plurality of aggregated particles (70) are arranged on the substrate. 13. A method, characterized in that it comprises: binding particles of functional material (75) and a bleach (78) in a polymeric binder to produce a plurality of aggregate particles (70), each aggregate particle (70) having a inner core comprising at least some of the particles of functional material (75), with at least some of the bleach (78) distributed over the outer surface of the inner core, and contacting a substrate of a wrapper (50) of an article to smoke (10) with the plurality of aggregated particles (70). 14. Method according to claim 13, characterized in that the contact between the substrate and the aggregated particles (70) comprises the incorporation of aggregated particles (70) in the substrate as a filler. 15. Wrapper (50) for a smoking article (10), characterized in that it comprises: a plurality of aggregate particles (70), each aggregate particle (70) comprising particles of functional material (75), a bleach (78) ) and a polymeric binder, wherein each aggregated particle (70) has an inner core comprising at least some of the functional material particles (75), and wherein at least some of the bleach (78) is distributed on the outer surface of the core internal, and wherein the polymeric binder binds the components of each aggregated particle (70).

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