Classifications

• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A24—TOBACCO; CIGARS; CIGARETTES; SIMULATED SMOKING DEVICES; SMOKERS' REQUISITES
  • A24B—MANUFACTURE OR PREPARATION OF TOBACCO FOR SMOKING OR CHEWING; TOBACCO; SNUFF
  • A24B15/00—Chemical features or treatment of tobacco; Tobacco substitutes, e.g. in liquid form
  • A24B15/10—Chemical features of tobacco products or tobacco substitutes
  • A24B15/16—Chemical features of tobacco products or tobacco substitutes of tobacco substitutes
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A24—TOBACCO; CIGARS; CIGARETTES; SIMULATED SMOKING DEVICES; SMOKERS' REQUISITES
  • A24B—MANUFACTURE OR PREPARATION OF TOBACCO FOR SMOKING OR CHEWING; TOBACCO; SNUFF
  • A24B15/00—Chemical features or treatment of tobacco; Tobacco substitutes, e.g. in liquid form
  • A24B15/10—Chemical features of tobacco products or tobacco substitutes
  • A24B15/12—Chemical features of tobacco products or tobacco substitutes of reconstituted tobacco
  • A24B15/14—Chemical features of tobacco products or tobacco substitutes of reconstituted tobacco made of tobacco and a binding agent not derived from tobacco
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A24—TOBACCO; CIGARS; CIGARETTES; SIMULATED SMOKING DEVICES; SMOKERS' REQUISITES
  • A24B—MANUFACTURE OR PREPARATION OF TOBACCO FOR SMOKING OR CHEWING; TOBACCO; SNUFF
  • A24B15/00—Chemical features or treatment of tobacco; Tobacco substitutes, e.g. in liquid form
  • A24B15/18—Treatment of tobacco products or tobacco substitutes
  • A24B15/28—Treatment of tobacco products or tobacco substitutes by chemical substances
  • A24B15/281—Treatment of tobacco products or tobacco substitutes by chemical substances the action of the chemical substances being delayed
  • A24B15/283—Treatment of tobacco products or tobacco substitutes by chemical substances the action of the chemical substances being delayed by encapsulation of the chemical substances
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A24—TOBACCO; CIGARS; CIGARETTES; SIMULATED SMOKING DEVICES; SMOKERS' REQUISITES
  • A24B—MANUFACTURE OR PREPARATION OF TOBACCO FOR SMOKING OR CHEWING; TOBACCO; SNUFF
  • A24B15/00—Chemical features or treatment of tobacco; Tobacco substitutes, e.g. in liquid form
  • A24B15/18—Treatment of tobacco products or tobacco substitutes
  • A24B15/28—Treatment of tobacco products or tobacco substitutes by chemical substances
  • A24B15/30—Treatment of tobacco products or tobacco substitutes by chemical substances by organic substances
  • A24B15/302—Treatment of tobacco products or tobacco substitutes by chemical substances by organic substances by natural substances obtained from animals or plants
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A24—TOBACCO; CIGARS; CIGARETTES; SIMULATED SMOKING DEVICES; SMOKERS' REQUISITES
  • A24B—MANUFACTURE OR PREPARATION OF TOBACCO FOR SMOKING OR CHEWING; TOBACCO; SNUFF
  • A24B15/00—Chemical features or treatment of tobacco; Tobacco substitutes, e.g. in liquid form
  • A24B15/18—Treatment of tobacco products or tobacco substitutes
  • A24B15/28—Treatment of tobacco products or tobacco substitutes by chemical substances
  • A24B15/30—Treatment of tobacco products or tobacco substitutes by chemical substances by organic substances
  • A24B15/302—Treatment of tobacco products or tobacco substitutes by chemical substances by organic substances by natural substances obtained from animals or plants
  • A24B15/303—Plant extracts other than tobacco
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A24—TOBACCO; CIGARS; CIGARETTES; SIMULATED SMOKING DEVICES; SMOKERS' REQUISITES
  • A24B—MANUFACTURE OR PREPARATION OF TOBACCO FOR SMOKING OR CHEWING; TOBACCO; SNUFF
  • A24B15/00—Chemical features or treatment of tobacco; Tobacco substitutes, e.g. in liquid form
  • A24B15/18—Treatment of tobacco products or tobacco substitutes
  • A24B15/28—Treatment of tobacco products or tobacco substitutes by chemical substances
  • A24B15/30—Treatment of tobacco products or tobacco substitutes by chemical substances by organic substances
  • A24B15/32—Treatment of tobacco products or tobacco substitutes by chemical substances by organic substances by acyclic compounds
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A24—TOBACCO; CIGARS; CIGARETTES; SIMULATED SMOKING DEVICES; SMOKERS' REQUISITES
  • A24B—MANUFACTURE OR PREPARATION OF TOBACCO FOR SMOKING OR CHEWING; TOBACCO; SNUFF
  • A24B3/00—Preparing tobacco in the factory
  • A24B3/14—Forming reconstituted tobacco products, e.g. wrapper materials, sheets, imitation leaves, rods, cakes; Forms of such products
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A24—TOBACCO; CIGARS; CIGARETTES; SIMULATED SMOKING DEVICES; SMOKERS' REQUISITES
  • A24D—CIGARS; CIGARETTES; TOBACCO SMOKE FILTERS; MOUTHPIECES FOR CIGARS OR CIGARETTES; MANUFACTURE OF TOBACCO SMOKE FILTERS OR MOUTHPIECES
  • A24D1/00—Cigars; Cigarettes
  • A24D1/20—Cigarettes specially adapted for simulated smoking devices

Definitions

• Smoking consumables such as cigarettes, cigars and the like burn tobacco during use to create tobacco smoke.
• hybrid devices contain a liquid source (which may or may not contain nicotine) which is vaporised by heating to produce an inhalable vapour or aerosol.
• the device additionally contains a solid aerosolgenerating material (which may or may not contain a tobacco material) and components of this material are entrained in the inhalable vapour or aerosol to produce the inhaled medium.
• an aerosol-generating material in the form of one or more non-linear strands, wherein the aerosol-generating material comprises: an aerosol-generating agent; a crosslinked binder; optionally one or more fillers; and optionally an active and/or flavourant and/or an acid.
• an aerosol-generating composition comprising the aerosol-generating material of the invention.
• a method of forming an aerosol-generating material in the form of non-linear strands comprising:
• a binder selected from the group consisting of alginate, pectin, carrageenan, (such as iota-carrageenan), gellan gum (such as high acyl gellan gum), and combinations thereof; optionally a filler; and optionally an active and/or a flavourant and/or an acid;
• a noncombustible aerosol provision system comprising the consumable as defined herein and a non-combustible aerosol provision device, the non-combustible aerosol provision device comprising an aerosol-generation device configured to (or arranged to) generate aerosol from the consumable when the consumable is used with the non-combustible aerosol provision device.
• an aerosol-generating composition as defined herein in a consumable for use in a non-combustible aerosol provision device, the non-combustible aerosol provision device comprising an aerosol-generation device arranged to generate aerosol from the consumable when the consumable is used with the non-combustible aerosol provision device.
• an aerosol-generating material or an aerosol-generating composition as defined herein for generating an aerosol.
• the invention provides an aerosol-generating material obtainable by, or obtained by, a method of the invention.
• a method of generating an aerosol using a non-combustible aerosol provision system as described herein comprising heating the aerosol-generating material.
• the method comprises heating the aerosol-generating material to a temperature of less than or equal to 350 °C.
• the method comprises heating the aerosol-generating material to a temperature of from about 220 °C to about 280 °C.
• Figure 1 shows a section view of an example of an aerosol-generating article.
• Figure 2 shows a perspective view of the article of Figure 1.
• Figure 3 shows a sectional elevation of an example of an aerosol-generating article.
• the invention also provides an aerosol-generating material in the form of one or more non-linear strands, wherein the aerosol-generating material comprises: an aerosol-generating agent; and a binder selected from the group consisting of alginate, pectin, carrageenan, (such as iota-carrageenan), gellan gum (such as high acyl gellan gum), and combinations thereof.
• a binder selected from the group consisting of alginate, pectin, carrageenan, (such as iota-carrageenan), gellan gum (such as high acyl gellan gum), and combinations thereof.
• the aerosol-generating material may comprise about 0.5wt%, 1wt%, 3wt% or 5wt% to about 10wt%, 9wt%, 8 wt% or 7wt% of crosslinking agent (all calculated on a dry weight basis).
• the aerosol-generating material may comprise 1-10 wt%, 3-8 wt% or 5-7 wt% of crosslinking agent (dry weight basis). These amounts represent the total amount of crosslinking agent(s) in the aerosol-generating material.
• 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
• the flavour comprises menthol, spearmint and/or peppermint. In some embodiments, the flavour comprises, consists essentially of or consists of menthol.
• the aerosol-generating composition may comprise from about 1wt%, 5wt%, 10wt%, 15wt%, 20wt% or25wt% to about 70wt%, 60wt%, 50wt%, 45wt%, 40wt%, 35wt%, or 30wt% (calculated on a dry weight basis) of an active substance.
• the aerosol-generating material may comprise a botanical extract.
• the aerosol-generating material may comprise about 1 wt%, 3 wt%, 5 wt%, 10 wt%, 15 wt%, 20 wt %, 30 wt%, 35 wt% or 40 wt% to about to 30 wt%, 35 wt%, 40 wt%, 50 wt%, 60 wt%, 65 wt % or 70 wt% of botanical extract (all calculated on a dry weight basis).
• the aerosol-generating material comprises 1-70 wt%, 5-60 wt%, or 10-50 wt% of botanical extract (all calculated on a dry weight basis).
• the aerosol-generating material may comprise 10-40 wt%, 10-35 wt%, 15-30 wt% of botanical extract (all calculated on a dry weight basis). In other embodiments, the aerosol-generating material may comprise 10-70 wt%, 20-65 wt%, 40-60 wt% of botanical extract (all calculated on a dry weight basis). These amounts represent the total amount of botanical extract(s) in the aerosol-generating material.
• the botanical extract may comprise or consist of a botanical extract which naturally contains metal (e.g. calcium or magnesium) ions (i.e. the ions are present without being added). In some embodiments, the botanical extract naturally contains calcium ions.
• the botanical extract may also be described as a plant extract.
• botanical extract includes an extract of 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.
• the botanical extract may comprise an active compound naturally existing in a botanical, obtained synthetically.
• 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.
• the botanical extract comprises a tobacco extract. In some embodiments, the botanical extract consists essentially of or consists of a tobacco extract. That is, in some embodiments the botanical extract is a tobacco extract.
• the aerosol-generating material comprises a particulate botanical material.
• the aerosol-generating material may comprise about 1 wt%, 3 wt%, 5 wt%, 10 wt%, 15 wt%, 20 wt %, 30 wt%, 35 wt% or 40 wt% to about to 30 wt%, 35 wt%, 40 wt%, 50 wt%, 60 wt%, 65 wt % or 70 wt% of particulate botanical material (all calculated on a dry weight basis).
• the aerosol-generating material comprises 1-70 wt%, 5-60 wt%, 10-50 wt%, or 30-40 wt% of particulate botanical material (all calculated on a dry weight basis).
• the particulate botanical comprises or is particulate tobacco material.
• the aerosol-generating material comprises an additional active other than a botanical extract.
• the active comprises nicotine.
• the active substance comprises caffeine, melatonin or vitamin B12.
• the active substance may comprise one or more constituents, derivatives or extracts of cannabis, such as one or more cannabinoids or terpenes.
• Cannabinoids are a class of natural or synthetic chemical compounds which act on cannabinoid receptors (i.e., CB1 and CB2) in cells that repress neurotransmitter release in the brain.
• Cannabinoids may be naturally occurring (phytocannabinoids) from plants such as cannabis, from animals (endocannabinoids), or artificially manufactured (synthetic cannabinoids).
• Cannabis species express at least 85 different phytocannabinoids, and are divided into subclasses, including cannabigerols, cannabichromenes, cannabidiols, tetrahydrocannabinols, cannabinols and cannabinodiols, and other cannabinoids.
• Cannabinoids found in cannabis include, without limitation: cannabigerol (CBG), cannabichromene (CBC), cannabidiol (CBD), tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), cannabinol (CBN), cannabinodiol (CBDL), cannabicyclol (CBL), cannabivarin (CBV), tetrahydrocannabivarin (THCV), cannabidivarin (CBDV), cannabichromevarin (CBCV), cannabigerovarin (CBGV), cannabigerol monomethyl ether (CBGM), cannabinerolic acid, cannabidiolic acid (CBDA), Cannabinol propyl variant (CBNV), cannabitriol (CBO), tetrahydrocannabmolic acid (THCA), and tetrahydrocannabivarinic acid (THCV A).
• CBD cannabigerol
• the active substance may comprise a cannabinoid, such as cannabidiol (CBD).
• CBD cannabidiol
• the aerosol-generating composition comprises an active substance such as tobacco extract.
• the aerosol-generating composition may comprise 5-60wt% (calculated on a dry weight basis) of tobacco extract.
• the aerosol-generating composition may comprise from about 5wt%, 10wt%, 15wt%, 20wt% or 25wt% to about 60wt%, 50wt%, 45wt%, 40wt%, 35wt%, or 30wt% (calculated on a dry weight basis) tobacco extract.
• the aerosol-generating composition may comprise 10-50wt%, 15-40wt% or 20- 35wt% of tobacco extract.
• the aerosol-generating composition may comprise from about 10 to about 50 wt% aerosol-generating material and from about 50 to about 90 wt% tobacco, or from about 20 to about 40 wt% aerosol-generating material and from about 60 to about 80 wt% tobacco.
• the tobacco comprises (or is) dry ice expanded tobacco (DIET).
• the aerosol-generating composition comprises a mixture of the aerosol-generating material of the invention and DIET, optionally in combination with other tobacco (e.g. cut rag tobacco).
• DIET is known to have a very high filling value (generally above 7 cm 3 /g), and is sometimes used to reduce the weight of an article or consumable for use in an aerosol provision system. However, it is also known to have a poor flavour profile.
• the presently claimed aerosol-generating material may therefore offer an improved alternative to DIET, because it has a high fill value but an improved taste profile. It may also be possible to combine DIET with the aerosol-generating material of the invention, thereby reducing the amount of DIET needed to achieve the desired fill value.
• the aerosol-generating composition comprises no tobacco material but does comprise nicotine.
• the fill value of the aerosol-generating composition may be determined by the fill value of the aerosol-generating material, the fill value of any other material in the composition (e.g. tobacco), and the relative proportions of the materials in the composition.
• the fill value of a composition may therefore be estimated.
• the aerosol-generating composition has a fill value of at least about 2 cm 3 /g, 2.5 cm 3 /g, 3 cm 3 /g, 3.5 cm 3 /g, 4 cm 3 /g, 4.5 cm 3 /g, or 5 cm 3 /g. In some embodiments the fill value is less than about 6 cm 3 /g, 6.5 cm 3 /g, 7 cm 3 /g, 7.5 cm 3 /g, 8 cm 3 /g, 8.5 cm 3 /g, 9 cm 3 /g, 9.5 cm 3 /g or 10 cm 3 /g.
• the aerosol-generating composition has a fill value from about 2 cm 3 /g to about 7.5 cm 3 /g, from about 3 cm 3 /g to about 7 cm 3 /g, from about 3.5 cm 3 /g to about 6 cm 3 /g from about 4 cm 3 /g to about 6 cm 3 /g or from about 5 cm 3 /g to about 6 cm 3 /g.
• the aerosol-generating composition has a fill value of from about 3 cm 3 /g to about 10 cm 3 /g, from about 4 cm 3 /g to about 9.5 cm 3 /g, from about 4.5 cm 3 /g to about 9 cm 3 /g or from about 5 cm 3 /g to about 9 cm 3 /g.
• the aerosol-generating material and/or the aerosol-generating composition may comprise an acid.
• the acid may be an organic acid.
• the acid may be at least one of a monoprotic acid, a diprotic acid and a triprotic acid.
• the acid may contain at least one carboxyl functional group.
• the acid may be at least one of an alpha-hydroxy acid, carboxylic acid, dicarboxylic acid, tricarboxylic acid and keto acid.
• the acid may be an alpha-keto acid.
• the acid may be at least one of succinic acid, lactic acid, benzoic acid, citric acid, tartaric acid, fumaric acid, levulinic acid, acetic acid, malic acid, formic acid, sorbic acid, benzoic acid, propanoic and pyruvic acid.
• the acid is lactic acid.
• the acid is benzoic acid.
• the acid may be an inorganic acid.
• the acid may be a mineral acid.
• the acid may be at least one of sulphuric acid, hydrochloric acid, boric acid and phosphoric acid.
• the acid is levulinic acid and/or pyruvic acid.
• the acid is selected from lactic acid, benzoic acid and levulinic acid.
• an acid is particularly preferred in embodiments in which the aerosol-generating composition comprises nicotine.
• the presence of the acid may reduce or substantially prevent evaporation of nicotine during drying of the slurry, thereby reducing loss of nicotine during manufacturing.
• the presence of the acid may also improve the flavour and impact of the aerosol when nicotine is present. For example, the perceived harshness of the nicotine may be reduced by the presence of the acid.
• the aerosol-generating material is substantially free from tobacco.
• substantially free from it is meant that the material comprises less than 1wt%, such as less than 0.5wt% tobacco (dry weight basis).
• the aerosol-generating material is free from tobacco.
• the aerosol-generating material does not comprise tobacco fibres.
• the aerosol-generating material does not comprise fibrous material.
• any tobacco present in the slurry used to form the aerosolgenerating material may cause the binder to prematurely crosslink, making formation of the non-linear strands of the invention more difficult.
• the aerosol-generating material substantially free from or free from tobacco.
• the aerosol-generating composition does not comprise tobacco fibres. In particular embodiments, the aerosol-generating composition does not comprise fibrous material. In some embodiments, the aerosol-generating article does not comprise tobacco fibres. In particular embodiments, the aerosol-generating article does not comprise fibrous material.
• the aerosol-generating material may be made from a gel, and this gel may additionally comprise a solvent, included at 0.1-50wt%.
• a solvent in which the flavour is soluble may reduce the gel stability and the flavour may crystallise out of the gel.
• the gel does not include a solvent in which the flavour is soluble.
• An aspect of the present invention relates to an article (also referred to herein as a consumable).
• a consumable is an article, part or all of which is intended to be consumed during use by a user.
• a consumable may comprise or consist of aerosolgenerating composition.
• a consumable may comprise one or more other elements, such as a filter or an aerosol modifying substance.
• a consumable may comprise a heating element that emits heat to cause the aerosol-generating composition to generate aerosol in use.
• the heating element may, for example, comprise combustible material, or may comprise a susceptor that is heatable by penetration with a varying magnetic field.
• Articles of the present invention may be provided in any suitable shape.
• the article is provided as a rod (e.g. substantially cylindrical).
• An article provided as a rod may include the aerosol-generating composition, optionally blended with cut tobacco.
• An induction heater may comprise an electromagnet and a device for passing a varying electrical current, such as an alternating current, through the electromagnet.
• a varying electrical current such as an alternating current
• the electromagnet and the object to be heated are suitably relatively positioned so that the resultant varying magnetic field produced by the electromagnet penetrates the object, one or more eddy currents are generated inside the object.
• the object has a resistance to the flow of electrical currents. Therefore, when such eddy currents are generated in the object, their flow against the electrical resistance of the object causes the object to be heated. This process is called Joule, ohmic, or resistive heating.
• the susceptor is in the form of a closed circuit. It has been found that, when the susceptor is in the form of a closed circuit, magnetic coupling between the susceptor and the electromagnet in use is enhanced, which results in greater or improved Joule heating.
• Magnetic hysteresis heating is a process in which an object made of a magnetic material is heated by penetrating the object with a varying magnetic field.
• a magnetic material can be considered to comprise many atomic-scale magnets, or magnetic dipoles. When a magnetic field penetrates such material, the magnetic dipoles align with the magnetic field. Therefore, when a varying magnetic field, such as an alternating magnetic field, for example as produced by an electromagnet, penetrates the magnetic material, the orientation of the magnetic dipoles changes with the varying applied magnetic field. Such magnetic dipole reorientation causes heat to be generated in the magnetic material.
• the device 1 comprises a housing 9 for locating and protecting various internal components of the device 1 .
• the housing 9 comprises a uni-body sleeve 11 that encompasses the perimeter of the device 1 , capped with a top panel 17 which defines generally the ‘top’ of the device 1 and a bottom panel 19 which defines generally the ‘bottom’ of the device 1.
• the housing comprises a front panel, a rear panel and a pair of opposite side panels in addition to the top panel 17 and the bottom panel 19.
• the top panel 17 of the device 1 has an opening 20 at the mouth end 3 of the device 1 through which, in use, the article 101 , 301 including the aerosol-generating composition may be inserted into the device 1 and removed from the device 1 by a user.
• the housing 9 has located or fixed therein a heater arrangement 23, control circuitry 25 and a power source 27.
• the heater arrangement 23, the control circuitry 25 and the power source 27 are laterally adjacent (that is, adjacent when viewed from an end), with the control circuitry 25 being located generally between the heater arrangement 23 and the power source 27, though other locations are possible.
• the control circuitry 25 may include a controller, such as a microprocessor arrangement, configured and arranged to control the heating of the aerosolgenerating composition in the article 101 , 301 as discussed further below.
• a controller such as a microprocessor arrangement
• the power source 27 may be for example a battery, which may be a rechargeable battery or a non-rechargeable battery.
• suitable batteries include for example a lithium-ion battery, a nickel battery (such as a nickel-cadmium battery), an alkaline battery and/ or the like.
• the battery 27 is electrically coupled to the heater arrangement 23 to supply electrical power when required and under control of the control circuitry 25 to heat the aerosol-generating composition in the article (as discussed, to volatilise the aerosol-generating material without causing the aerosol-generating composition to burn).
• the heater arrangement 23 is generally in the form of a hollow cylindrical tube, having a hollow interior heating chamber 29 into which the article 101 , 301 comprising the aerosol-generating material is inserted for heating in use. Different arrangements for the heater arrangement 23 are possible.
• the heater arrangement 23 is supported by a stainless steel support tube and comprises a polyimide heating element.
• the heater arrangement 23 is dimensioned so that substantially the whole of the body of aerosolgenerating composition 103, 303 of the article 101 , 301 is inserted into the heater arrangement 23 when the article 101 , 301 is inserted into the device 1.
• the or each heating element may be arranged so that selected zones of the aerosol-generating material can be independently heated, for example in turn (over time, as discussed above) or together (simultaneously) as desired.
• the heater arrangement 23 in this example is surrounded along at least part of its length by a thermal insulator 31.
• the insulator 31 helps to reduce heat passing from the heater arrangement 23 to the exterior of the device 1. This helps to keep down the power requirements for the heater arrangement 23 as it reduces heat losses generally.
• the insulator 31 also helps to keep the exterior of the device 1 cool during operation of the heater arrangement 23.
• the insulator 31 may be a double-walled sleeve which provides a low pressure region between the two walls of the sleeve. That is, the insulator 31 may be for example a “vacuum” tube, i.e. a tube that has been at least partially evacuated so as to minimise heat transfer by conduction and/or convection.
• Other arrangements for the insulator 31 are possible, including using heat insulating materials, including for example a suitable foam-type material, in addition to or instead of a double-walled sleeve.
• the housing 9 may further comprises various internal support structures 37 for supporting all internal components, as well as the heating arrangement 23.
• the device 1 further comprises a collar 33 which extends around and projects from the opening 20 into the interior of the housing 9 and a generally tubular chamber 35 which is located between the collar 33 and one end of the vacuum sleeve 31 .
• the chamber 35 further comprises a cooling structure 35f, which in this example, comprises a plurality of cooling fins 35f spaced apart along the outer surface of the chamber 35, and each arranged circumferentially around outer surface of the chamber 35.
• the air gap 36 is around all of the circumference of the article 101 , 301 over at least part of the cooling segment 307.
• the collar 33 comprises a plurality of ridges 60 arranged circumferentially around the periphery of the opening 20 and which project into the opening 20.
• the ridges 60 take up space within the opening 20 such that the open span of the opening 20 at the locations of the ridges 60 is less than the open span of the opening 20 at the locations without the ridges 60.
• the ridges 60 are configured to engage with an article 101 , 301 inserted into the device to assist in securing it within the device 1.
• Open spaces (not shown in the Figures) defined by adjacent pairs of ridges 60 and the article 101 , 301 form ventilation paths around the exterior of the article 101 , 301. These ventilation paths allow hot vapours that have escaped from the article 101 , 301 to exit the device 1 and allow cooling air to flow into the device 1 around the article 101 , 301 in the air gap 36.
• the article 101 , 301 is removably inserted into an insertion point 20 of the device 1 , as shown in Figures 5 to 7.
• the body of aerosol-generating composition 103, 303 which is located towards the distal end 115, 315 of the article 101 , 301 , is entirely received within the heater arrangement 23 of the device 1.
• the proximal end 113, 313 of the article 101 , 301 extends from the device 1 and acts as a mouthpiece assembly for a user.
• the heater arrangement 23 will heat the article 101 , 301 to volatilise at least one component of the aerosol-generating composition from the body of aerosol-generating composition 103, 303.
• the primary flow path for the heated volatilised components from the body of aerosol-generating composition 103, 303 is axially through the article 101 , 301 , through the chamber inside the cooling segment 107, 307, through the filter segment 109, 309, through the mouth end segment 111 , 313 to the user.
• the temperature of the heated volatilised components that are generated from the body of aerosol-generating composition is between 60°C and 250°C, which may be above the acceptable inhalation temperature for a user. As the heated volatilised component travels through the cooling segment 107, 307, it will cool and some volatilised components will condense on the inner surface of the cooling segment 107, 307.
• Another aspect of the invention provides a method of making an aerosolgenerating material in the form of non-linear strands, such as the aerosolgenerating material described herein.
• the method may comprise:
• the method may comprise:
• Step (a) comprises forming a mixture or slurry comprising components of the aerosol-generating material or precursors thereof and a solvent (typically water).
• the slurry or mixture formed in step (a) therefore comprises a crosslinkable binder (i.e. a precursor to the crosslinked binder which is present in the material of the invention), an aerosol-generating agent, and optionally a filler, an active and/or a flavour and/or an acid.
• the mixture or slurry may comprise these components on a dry weight basis in any of the proportions given herein in relation to the composition of the aerosolgenerating material.
• Step (b) comprises ejecting the mixture through a nozzle.
• the shape of the nozzle may determine the cross-section of the material which is formed by the method of the invention.
• the nozzle has a circular shape.
• the cross-section of the final material will be circular or substantially circular.
• the term “nozzle” may be used interchangeably with terms “orifice” or “aperture”.
• the nozzle has a diameter of from about 0.05 mm, 0.2 mm, 0.5 mm, 1.5 mm or 1.5 mm to about 4 mm, 3.0 mm, 2.5 mm or 1.5 mm. In some embodiments, the nozzle has a diameter of from about 0.05 to about 4 mm, from about 0.5 to about 4 mm, from about 1.0 to about 3.0 mm, or from about 1.5 to about 2.5 mm.
• the nozzle has a diameter of from about 0.05 mm, 0.1 mm, 0.2 mm or 0.3mm to about 3.0 mm, 2.0 mm, 1.0 mm, or 0.7mm. In some embodiments, the nozzle has a diameter of from about 0.05 to about 3.0 mm, from about 0.1 to about 2.0 mm, from about 0.2 to about 1.0 mm, or from about 0.3 to about 0.7 mm.
• step (b) comprises dispensing the mixture through a nozzle.
• step (b) comprises extruding the mixture through a nozzle.
• the mixture After the mixture is ejected from the nozzle, it has a velocity. This velocity may be imparted by gravity, i.e. because the mixture is ejected from the nozzle into a medium in which it can fall (e.g. air). Alternatively and/or additionally, the velocity may be imparted by the ejection process, i.e. because the mixture is forced through the nozzle and kinetic energy is imparted to the mixture.
• the mixture is generally ejected in the form of a continuous stream or flow of material.
• the mixture is ejected from the nozzle into a gaseous medium, such as air.
• the mixture may be contacted with the crosslinking agent by ejecting the mixture into a medium such as air directly above a solution comprising the crosslinking agent, with gravity (optionally together with any force applied to eject the mixture from the nozzle) acting to bring the mixture into contact with the solution.
• a medium such as air directly above a solution comprising the crosslinking agent
• the mixture may be contacted with the solution comprising the cross-linking agent by ejecting the mixture with force.
• the nozzle may be positioned directly above the solution, but may also and/or alternatively be positioned to the side of the solution, or even below the solution.
• the angle between the direction of the nozzle (i.e. the direction in which the mixture is initially ejected) and the surface of the solution may be changed. When the nozzle is positioned directly above the solution this angle is 90°. When the nozzle is directly to the side of the solution (i.e. parallel to the solution) this angle is 0°. In one embodiment, this angle is 90°. In another embodiment, this angle is less than about 90° and greater than about 0°.
• this angle is from about 10° to about 85°, from about 20° to about 80°, or from about 30° to about 75°.
• the nozzle is positioned directly above the surface of the solution comprising a cross-linking agent. However, this may not be necessary if the mixture is forced from the nozzle such that it does not move directly downwards after ejection.
• the nozzle is positioned at a distance of from about 0.5 to about 100 cm above the surface of the solution comprising a cross-linking agent, such as from about 1 to about 50 cm or from about 2 to about 20 cm. If the distance between the nozzle and the surface of the solution is increased, the diameter of the resulting non-linear strands may decrease. Positioning the nozzle at a distance from the surface of the solution beyond the ranges disclosed herein may therefore result in the diameter of the non-linear strand being significantly reduced compared to the diameter of the nozzle.
• the quantity of solution and the vessel used to hold the solution comprising a cross-linking agent are selected such that the depth of solution at the point of impact is at least about 1 cm, 2 cm, 3 cm or 5 cm, and may be less than about 50 cm, 30 cm, 20 cm or 10 cm, In some embodiments, the depth of solution at the point of impact is from about 1 to about 50 cm, from about 2 to about 30 cm, or from about 3 to about 10 cm.
• the nozzle may be stationary, or may move as the mixture is ejected.
• the nozzle may move over the surface of the solution comprising the crosslinking agent as the mixture is ejected.
• the nozzle may be stationary and the solution comprising the cross-linking agent may be moved as the mixture is ejected. Having at least one of the nozzle and/or the solution moving during the process may be useful where the overall process is continuous, and this may help to prevent overlapping of individual strands.
• the nozzle may eject the mixture in a series of pulses.
• step (c) may comprise pausing the ejection of the mixture from the nozzle at selected time intervals. This method may avoid or reduce the need to cut the strands.
• the length of the strands may be determined by the length of the time intervals. Generally, the longer the time interval the longer the strands.
• Step (c) comprises contacting the ejected mixture with a solution comprising a cross-linking agent, where the velocity of the mixture is reduced on contact with the solution.
• the crosslinkable binder will crosslink, thereby forming the cross-linked binder.
• the binder immediately crosslinks. This, combined with the reduction in velocity resulting from the impact of the mixture with the solution, is believed to result in the formation of the non-linear strands or gel fibers of the invention.
• the result of step (c) is an aerosol-generating material in the form of non-linear strands or gel fibers, i.e. an aerosol-generating material as defined herein.
• the solution comprising a cross-linking agent is provided in a vessel into which the ejected mixture falls and/or is forced.
• the solution is sprayed or otherwise applied onto the mixture after it is ejected and whilst it is moving with a velocity, with the contact between the ejected mixture and the crosslinking solution resulting in the desired reduction in the velocity of the ejected mixture.
• the crosslinking agent is used in the present methods in the form of a solution comprising the cross-linking agent.
• the solution is an aqueous solution comprising water and the cross-linking agent.
• the crosslinking agent is present in the solution in an excess amount, such that crosslinking agent remains after the binder is crosslinked.
• the concentration of cross-linking agent in the solution may range from about 0.01 M to about 2.0 M, from about 0.3 M to about 1 .5 M, or from about 0.5 M to about 1 .0 M.
• the slurry may comprise sodium, potassium or ammonium alginate as a precursor to the binder, and a setting agent or crosslinking agent comprising a calcium source (such as calcium formate, calcium acetate or calcium lactate) may be used to form a calcium alginate gel or binder.
• a setting agent or crosslinking agent comprising a calcium source such as calcium formate, calcium acetate or calcium lactate
• Alginate salts are derivatives of alginic acid and are typically high molecular weight polymers (10-600 kDa).
• Alginic acid is a copolymer of p-D-mannuronic (M) and a-L-guluronic acid (G) units (blocks) linked together with (1 ,4)-glycosidic bonds to form a polysaccharide.
• the alginate crosslinks to form a gel.
• Alginate salts with a high G monomer content more readily form a gel on addition of the calcium source.
• the gel-precursor may comprise an alginate salt in which at least about 40%, 45%, 50%, 55%, 60% or 70% of the monomer units in the alginate copolymer are a-L-guluronic acid (G) units.
• the solution in step (c) further comprises one or more of a flavourant, an active, an aerosol generating agent (e.g. glycerol), and a botanical extract.
• a flavourant is water-soluble.
• each of these components can enter (e.g. diffuse into) the nonlinear strands or gel fibers of the invention.
• the result of step (c) may be an aerosol-generating material comprising one or more of a flavourant, an active, an aerosol generating agent (e.g. glycerol), and a botanical extract.
• a flavourant e.g. glycerol
• an aerosol generating agent e.g. glycerol
• the amount of additional component (e.g. botanical extract) in the resulting non-linear strands may vary depending on how long the material is in contact with the solution. Generally, the longer the contact time between the material and the solution, the greater the amount of flavourant, active, aerosol generating agent (e.g. glycerol), and/or botanical extract in the resulting non-linear strands. Thus, the amount of flavourant, active, aerosol generating agent (e.g. glycerol), and/or botanical extract in the non-linear strands can be controlled by the contact time between the material and the solution. In some embodiments, the contact time between the material and the solution may be less than about 120 seconds.
• the contact time between the material and the solution may range from about 5 seconds to about 120 seconds, from about 10 seconds to about 60 seconds, or from about 10 seconds to about 30 seconds.
• the solution further comprises a botanical extract in addition to the crosslinking agent. Suitable botanical extracts are set out above.
• the botanical extract can contain metal (e.g. calcium) ions which may cause crosslinking of the crosslinkable binder. As such, less crosslinking agent may be needed.
• the concentration of botanical extract in the solution may range from about 20 wt.% to about 90 wt.%, from about 25 wt.% to about 75 wt.%, or from about 30 wt.% to about 50 wt.%.
• Adding a botanical extract to the mixture in step (a) may result in early crosslinking of the crosslinkable binder, due to any metal (e.g. calcium) ion content of the botanical extract. This may result in undesired crosslinking of the mixture or slurry during step (a) before it is ejected through the nozzle and contacts the solution in step (b) and (c). This may prevent the slurry from being ejected through the nozzle and therefore prevent the formation of non-linear strands.
• any metal e.g. calcium
• step (a) When forming materials containing a botanical extract it may therefore be advantageous to form a slurry which does not comprise a botanical extract in step (a), and eject said slurry into a solution comprising a botanical extract. This method may also reduce the amount of crosslinkable binder required in the solution.
• the solution in step (c) further comprises another component of the aerosol-generating material, which may then diffuse into the aerosol-generating material in the same way as the botanical extract.
• the solution may further comprise a flavourant, such as a water-soluble flavourant, and/or active in addition to a botanical extract and/or an aerosol generating agent (e.g. glycerol).
• the concentration of the aerosol-generating agent in the solution is substantially the same or the same as the concentration of the aerosolgenerating agent in the mixture. In this case, the concentration of aerosol-generating agent in the final aerosol-generating material will be the same or substantively the same as that in the mixture.
• the concentration of aerosol-generating agent in the solution is lower than that in the mixture, the concentration of aerosol-generating agent in the final aerosol-generating material will be lower than that in the mixture, due to diffusion of the aerosol-generating agent from the material while in contact with the solution.
• the concentration of aerosol-generating agent in the solution is higher that in the mixture, the concentration of aerosol-generating agent in the final aerosolgenerating material will be higher than that in the mixture.
• the solution comprises an amount of aerosolgenerating agent which is within about 15 wt% of the amount of aerosol-generating agent in the mixture, such as within about 10 wt%, within about 5 wt% or within about 1 wt%.
• the method of the invention may further comprise:
• the drying step (e) may comprise any suitable drying methods, including but not limited to, infrared (IR) heating, convention heating, air impingement, conductive heating and microwave heating.
• Conductive heating may comprise heating a surface on which the material is placed.
• the surface may be, for example, a metal or metal alloy (e.g. stainless steel) band.
• the surface may itself heat up (e.g. it is the surface of a heater) or be indirectly heated.
• the surface may be heated from below, for example using steam.
• the drying step (e) is performed using a belt dryer.
• the drying step (e) may, in some cases, reduce the average diameter of each of the strands by at least about 20%, such as between about 20% and about 90 %, or between about 30% and about 70%.
• the material may be heated to remove at least about 60 wt%, 70 wt%, 80 wt%, 85 wt% or 90 wt% of the solvent, which is typically water.
• the aerosol-generating material may have a water content as defined above.
• the aerosol-generating material may have of from 1wt % to 15wt% (WWB).
• the water content of the aerosol-generating material may be from about 5wt%, 7wt% or 9wt% to about 15wt%, 13wt%, 11wt%, 9 wt% or 8 wt% (wet weight basis) (WWB).
• the aerosolgenerating material has a water content of less than about 9 wt% (WWB), such as less than about 8 wt% (WWB).
• WWB wt%
• the water content of the aerosol-generating material may, for example, be determined by Karl-Fischer-titration or Gas Chromatography with Thermal Conductivity Detector (GC-TCD).
• the solvent which is part of the slurry or mixture may consist essentially of or consist of water. In some cases, the slurry or mixture may comprise from about 50wt%, 60wt%, 70wt%, 80wt% or 90wt% of solvent (WWB).
• the dry weight content of the slurry may match the dry weight content of the aerosol-generating material.
• the discussion herein relating to the solid material is explicitly disclosed in combination with the slurry aspect of the invention.
• aspects and embodiments above defining components of the aerosol-generating material and amounts thereof apply mutatis mutandis to the slurry of the invention and the method of the invention.
• the method of the invention may also comprise cutting the non-linear strands to a desired free length. This step may occur before or after drying.
• the desired free length may be as set out hereinabove.
• the material is cut into a plurality of non-linear strands before drying step (e). Cutting the material into a plurality of non-linear strands (each shorter than the non-linear strand(s) initially formed) before drying the material can reduce tangling of the material, which can in turn make the material easier to process and/or incorporated into an article. Reducing tangling of the material may also make it easier to form a homogeneous mixture if the material is blended with tobacco.
• the method comprises heating the aerosolgenerating material (or the aerosol-generating composition) to a temperature of less than or equal to 350 °C. In some embodiments, the method comprises heating the aerosol-generating material (or the aerosol-generating composition) to a temperature of from about 220 °C to about 280 °C. In some embodiments, the method comprises heating at least a portion of the aerosol-generating material (or the aerosolgenerating composition) to a temperature of from about 220 °C to about 280 °C over a session of use.
• “Session of use” as used herein refers to a single period of use of the noncombustible aerosol provision system by a user.
• the session of use begins at the point at which power is first supplied to at least one heating unit present in the heating assembly.
• the device will be ready for use after a period of time has elapsed from the start of the session of use.
• the session of use ends at the point at which no power is supplied to any of the heating elements in the aerosol-generating device.
• the end of the session of use may coincide with the point at which the smoking article is depleted (the point at which the total particulate matter yield (mg) in each puff would be deemed unacceptably low by a user).
• the session will have a duration of a plurality of puffs.
• Said session may have a duration less than 7 minutes, or 6 minutes, or 5 minutes, or 4 minutes and 30 seconds, or 4 minutes, or 3 minutes and 30 seconds. In some embodiments, the session of use may have a duration of from 2 to 5 minutes, or from 3 to 4.5 minutes, or 3.5 to 4.5 minutes, or suitably 4 minutes.
• a session may be initiated by the user actuating a button or switch on the device, causing at least one heating element to begin rising in temperature. All percentages by weight described herein (denoted wt%) are calculated on a dry weight basis (DWB), unless explicitly stated otherwise. All weight ratios are also calculated on a dry weight basis.
• Embodiment 1 An aerosol-generating material in the form of one or more nonlinear strands, wherein the aerosol-generating material comprises: an aerosol-generating agent; and a crosslinked binder.
• Embodiment 1a An aerosol-generating material in the form of one or more non-linear strands, wherein the aerosol-generating material comprises: an aerosol-generating agent; and a binder selected from the group consisting of alginate, pectin, carrageenan, (such as iota-carrageenan), gellan gum (such as high acyl gellan gum), and combinations thereof.
• Embodiment 2. The aerosol-generating material of any preceding embodiment, wherein each of the non-linear strands has a diameter of from about 0.05 mm to about 3 mm.
• Embodiment 3 The aerosol-generating material of any preceding embodiment, wherein each of the non-linear strands has a diameter of from about 0.1 mm to about 2 mm.
• Embodiment 4 The aerosol-generating material of any preceding embodiment, wherein each of the non-linear strands has a diameter of from about 0.2 to about 1.1 mm.
• Embodiment s The aerosol-generating material of any preceding embodiment, wherein each of the non-linear strands has a diameter of from about 0.3 to about 0.6 mm.
• Embodiment 6 The aerosol-generating material of any preceding embodiment, wherein each of the non-linear strands has a thickness of from about 0.05 mm to about 3 mm.
• Embodiment s The aerosol-generating material of any preceding embodiment, wherein each of the non-linear strands has a thickness of from about 0.2 to about 1.1 mm.
• Embodiment 9 The aerosol-generating material of any preceding embodiment, wherein each of the non-linear strands has a thickness of from about 0.3 to about 0.6 mm.
• Embodiment 10 The aerosol-generating material of any preceding embodiment, wherein the ratio of the diameter to the thickness of each of the nonlinear strands is from about 1:2 to about 2:1.
• Embodiment 11 The aerosol-generating material of any preceding embodiment, wherein the ratio of the diameter to the thickness of each of the nonlinear strands is from about 3:2 to about 2:3.
• Embodiment 12 The aerosol-generating material of any preceding embodiment, wherein the ratio of the diameter to the thickness of each of the nonlinear strands is about 1 :1.
• Embodiment 13 The aerosol-generating material of any preceding embodiment, wherein each of the non-linear strands has an uncoiled length of from about 8 mm to about 200 mm.
• Embodiment 13a The aerosol-generating material of any preceding embodiment, wherein each of the non-linear strands has an uncoiled length of from about 10 mm to about 200 mm.
• Embodiment 14 The aerosol-generating material of any preceding embodiment, wherein each of the non-linear strands has an uncoiled length of from about 20 mm to about 100 mm.
• Embodiment 15 The aerosol-generating material of any preceding embodiment, wherein each of the non-linear strands has an uncoiled length of from about 30 mm to about 50 mm.
• Embodiment 16 The aerosol-generating material of any preceding embodiment, wherein each of the non-linear strands has a coiled length of from about
• Embodiment 17 The aerosol-generating material of any preceding embodiment, wherein each of the non-linear strands has a coiled length of from about
• Embodiment 18 The aerosol-generating material of any preceding embodiment, wherein each of the non-linear strands has a coiled length of from about 6 mm to about 23 mm.
• Embodiment 19 The aerosol-generating material of any preceding embodiment, wherein each of the non-linear strands has a coiled length of from about 8 mm to about 22 mm.
• Embodiment 20 The aerosol-generating material of any preceding embodiment, wherein each of the non-linear strands has a coiled length of from about 11 mm to about 20 mm.
• Embodiment 21 The aerosol-generating material of any preceding embodiment, wherein the uncoiled length is greater than the coiled length.
• Embodiment 22 The aerosol-generating material of any preceding embodiment, wherein the ratio between the uncoiled length and the coiled length of each non-linear strand is at least about 1.2.
• Embodiment 23 The aerosol-generating material of any preceding embodiment, wherein the ratio between the uncoiled length and the coiled length of each non-linear strand is at least about 1.3.
• Embodiment 24 The aerosol-generating material of any preceding embodiment, wherein the ratio between the uncoiled length and the coiled length of each non-linear strand is at least about 1.5.
• Embodiment 25 The aerosol-generating material of any preceding embodiment, wherein the ratio between the uncoiled length and the coiled length of each non-linear strand is at least about 2.0.
• Embodiment 25 The aerosol-generating material of any preceding embodiment, wherein the ratio between the uncoiled length and the coiled length of each non-linear strand is less than about 10.
• Embodiment 26 The aerosol-generating material of any preceding embodiment, wherein the ratio between the uncoiled length and the coiled length of each non-linear strand is less than about 8.
• Embodiment 27 The aerosol-generating material of any preceding embodiment, wherein the ratio between the uncoiled length and the coiled length of each non-linear strand is less than about 6.
• Embodiment 28 The aerosol-generating material of any preceding embodiment, wherein the ratio between the uncoiled length and the coiled length of each non-linear strand is from about 1.2 to about 10.
• Embodiment 31 The aerosol-generating material of any preceding embodiment, wherein the ratio between the uncoiled length and the diameter of each of the non-linear strands is from about 5 to about 200.
• Embodiment 36 The aerosol-generating material of any preceding embodiment, wherein the tensile strength of each strand ranges from about 0.3 N to about 1.0 N.
• Embodiment 37 The aerosol-generating material of any preceding embodiment, wherein the aerosol-generating material has a fill value of from about 2 cm 3 /g to about 7.5 cm 3 /g.
• Embodiment 37a The aerosol-generating material of any preceding embodiment, wherein the aerosol-generating material has a fill value of from about 3 cm 3 /g to about 10 cm 3 /g.
• Embodiment 37b The aerosol-generating material of any preceding embodiment, wherein the aerosol-generating material has a fill value of from about 4 cm 3 /g to about 9.5 cm 3 /g.
• Embodiment 37c The aerosol-generating material of any preceding embodiment, wherein the aerosol-generating material has a fill value of from about
• Embodiment 37d The aerosol-generating material of any preceding embodiment, wherein the aerosol-generating material has a fill value of from about 5 cm 3 /g to about 9 cm 3 /g.
• Embodiment 36 The aerosol-generating material of any preceding embodiment, wherein the aerosol-generating material has a fill value of from about 3 cm 3 /g to about 7 cm 3 /g.
• Embodiment 36 The aerosol-generating material of any preceding embodiment, wherein the aerosol-generating material has a fill value of from about
• Embodiment 37 The aerosol-generating material of any preceding embodiment, wherein the aerosol-generating material has a fill value of from about 4 cm 3 /g to about 6 cm 3 /g.
• Embodiment 38 The aerosol-generating material of any preceding embodiment, wherein the aerosol-generating material comprises from about 1 to about 80 wt% aerosol-generating agent.
• Embodiment 39 The aerosol-generating material of any preceding embodiment, wherein the aerosol-generating material comprises from about 5 to about 60 wt% aerosol-generating agent.
• Embodiment 40 The aerosol-generating material of any preceding embodiment, wherein the aerosol-generating material comprises from about 10 to about 50 wt% aerosol-generating agent.
• Embodiment 41 The aerosol-generating material of any preceding embodiment, wherein the aerosol-generating material comprises from about 10 to about 45 wt% aerosol-generating agent.
• Embodiment 42 The aerosol-generating material of any preceding embodiment, wherein the aerosol-generating material comprises from about 10 to about 40 wt% aerosol-generating agent.
• Embodiment 43 The aerosol-generating material of any preceding embodiment, wherein the aerosol-generating material comprises from about 15 to about 30 wt% aerosol-generating agent.
• Embodiment 44 The aerosol-generating material of any preceding embodiment, wherein the aerosol-generating agent comprises 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.
• Embodiment 45 The aerosol-generating material of any preceding embodiment, wherein the aerosol-generating agent comprises glycerol.
• Embodiment 46 The aerosol-generating material of any preceding embodiment, wherein the aerosol-generating material comprises from about 1 to about 60 wt% binder.
• Embodiment 47 The aerosol-generating material of any preceding embodiment, wherein the aerosol-generating material comprises from about 5 to about 50 wt% binder.
• Embodiment 48 The aerosol-generating material of any preceding embodiment, wherein the aerosol-generating material comprises from about 6 to about 40 wt% binder.
• Embodiment 49 The aerosol-generating material of any preceding embodiment, wherein the aerosol-generating material comprises from about 7 to about 30 wt% binder.
• Embodiment 55 The aerosol-generating material of any preceding embodiment, wherein the aerosol-generating material is substantially free of carboxymethylcellulose.
• Embodiment 61b The aerosol-generating material of any preceding embodiment, wherein the aerosol-generating material comprises from about 20 to about 70 wt% filler.
• Embodiment 61d The aerosol-generating material of any preceding embodiment, wherein the aerosol-generating material comprises from about 40 to about 65 wt% filler.
• Embodiment 64 The aerosol-generating material of any preceding embodiment, wherein the aerosol-generating material comprises less than about 50 wt% filler.
• Embodiment 65 The aerosol-generating material of any preceding embodiment, wherein the aerosol-generating material comprises less than about 30 wt% filler.
• Embodiment 66 The aerosol-generating material of any preceding embodiment, wherein the aerosol-generating material comprises less than about 20 wt% filler.
• Embodiment 67 The aerosol-generating material of any preceding embodiment, wherein the aerosol-generating material comprises less than about 10 wt% filler.
• Embodiment 68 The aerosol-generating material of any preceding embodiment, wherein the filler is a fibrous organic filler material selected from wood pulp, hemp fibre, cellulose or cellulose derivatives, such as microcrystalline cellulose (MCC), nanocrystalline cellulose and/or ground cellulose.
• the filler is a fibrous organic filler material selected from wood pulp, hemp fibre, cellulose or cellulose derivatives, such as microcrystalline cellulose (MCC), nanocrystalline cellulose and/or ground cellulose.
• Embodiment 69 The aerosol-generating material of any preceding embodiment, wherein the filler comprises wood pulp, MCC and/or ground cellulose.
• Embodiment 69a The aerosol-generating material of any preceding embodiment, wherein the aerosol-generating material has a water content of less than about 9 wt%.
• Embodiment 69b The aerosol-generating material of any preceding embodiment, wherein the aerosol-generating material has a water content of less than about 8 wt%.
• Embodiment 69c The aerosol-generating material of any preceding embodiment, wherein the aerosol-generating material comprises from about 1-70 wt% particulate botanical material.
• Embodiment 69d The aerosol-generating material of any preceding embodiment, wherein the aerosol-generating material comprises from about 5-60 wt% particulate botanical material.
• Embodiment 69e The aerosol-generating material of any preceding embodiment, wherein the aerosol-generating material comprises from about 10-50 wt% particulate botanical material.
• Embodiment 69f The aerosol-generating material of any preceding embodiment, wherein the aerosol-generating material comprises from about 30-40 wt% particulate botanical material.
• Embodiment 70 The aerosol-generating material of any preceding embodiment, wherein the aerosol-generating material is substantially free from tobacco.
• Embodiment 71 An aerosol-generating composition comprising the aerosolgenerating material of any preceding embodiment.
• Embodiment 71a The aerosol-generating composition of Embodiment 71 , wherein the aerosol-generating material is shredded and mixed with tobacco.
• Embodiment 71b The aerosol-generating composition of Embodiment 71 or 71a, wherein the aerosol-generating composition comprises about 10-50 wt% aerosol-generating material and about 50-90 wt% tobacco.
• Embodiment 71c The aerosol-generating composition of any of Embodiments 71 -71 b, wherein the aerosol-generating composition comprises about 20-40 wt% aerosol-generating material and about 60-80 wt% tobacco.
• Embodiment 71d The aerosol-generating composition of any of Embodiments 71-71c, comprising a mixture of the aerosol-generating material of the invention and dry ice expanded tobacco (DIET).
• DIET dry ice expanded tobacco
• Embodiment 71 e The aerosol-generating composition of any of Embodiments 71 -71 d, wherein the aerosol-generating composition has a fill value of from about 3 cm 3 /g to about 10 cm 3 /g.
• Embodiment 71 f The aerosol-generating composition of any of Embodiments 71-71e, wherein the aerosol-generating composition has a fill value of from about 4 cm 3 /g to about 9.5 cm 3 /g.
• Embodiment 71g The aerosol-generating composition of any of Embodiments 71 -71 f, wherein the aerosol-generating composition has a fill value of from about 4.5 cm 3 /g to about 9 cm 3 /g.
• Embodiment 71h The aerosol-generating composition of any of Embodiments 71 -71 g, wherein the aerosol-generating composition has a fill value of from about 5 cm 3 /g to about 9 cm 3 /g.
• Embodiment 72 The aerosol-generating composition of any of Embodiments 71- 71 h further comprising one or more additional active substances and/or flavours, and optionally one or more other functional materials.
• Embodiment 73 The aerosol-generating composition of Embodiment 71 or 72 further comprising one or more other functional materials.
• Embodiment 74 The aerosol-generating composition of Embodiment 72 or 73, wherein the other functional materials comprise one or more of pH regulators, colouring agents, preservatives, binders, fillers, stabilizers, and/or antioxidants.
• Embodiment 75 The aerosol-generating composition of Embodiment 73, wherein the other functional materials comprise one or more fillers.
• Embodiment 76 The aerosol-generating composition of Embodiment 75, wherein the fillers are selected from inorganic filler materials, wood pulp, hemp fibre, cellulose and cellulose derivatives.
• Embodiment 77 The aerosol-generating composition of any of Embodiments 71-76, wherein the aerosol-generating composition comprises no calcium carbonate such as chalk.
• Embodiment 81 The aerosol-generating composition of any of Embodiments 71-80, comprising from about 50-95 wt% (WWB) of the aerosol-generating material.
• Embodiment 82 The aerosol-generating composition of any of Embodiments 717- 81 , comprising from about 50-90 wt% (WWB) of the aerosol-generating material.
• Embodiment 83 The aerosol-generating composition of any of Embodiments 71-82, comprising from about 60-100 wt% (WWB) of the aerosol-generating material.
• Embodiment 84 The aerosol-generating composition of any of Embodiments 71-83, comprising from about 60-95 wt% (WWB) of the aerosol-generating material.
• Embodiment 85 The aerosol-generating composition of any of Embodiments 71-84, comprising from about 60-90 wt% (WWB) of the aerosol-generating material.
• Embodiment 86 The aerosol-generating composition of any of Embodiments 71-85, comprising from about 70-100 wt% (WWB) of the aerosol-generating material.
• Embodiment 88 The aerosol-generating composition of any of Embodiments 71-87, comprising from about 70-90 wt% (WWB) of the aerosol-generating material.
• Embodiment 89 The aerosol-generating composition of any of Embodiments 71-88, consisting of, or consisting essentially of the aerosol-generating material.
• Embodiment 90 A consumable for use in a non-combustible aerosol provision device, the consumable comprising the aerosol-generating composition of any of Embodiments 71-89.
• Embodiment 92 The consumable for use in a non-combustible aerosol provision device of Embodiment 90, or the non-combustible aerosol provision system of Embodiment 93, wherein the non-combustible aerosol provision device is a heat-not- burn device.
• Embodiment 94 A method of making the aerosol-generating material of any of Embodiments 1-70, the method comprising:
• Embodiment 97 The method of Embodiment any of Embodiments 94-96, wherein the solution in step (c) further comprises the same aerosol generating agent as present in the mixture in step (a).
• the materials were conditioned in 22 ⁇ 1°C and 60 ⁇ 2%RH for 48hs.
• a gel slurry was made in a 10L Robot Coupe mixer (R 10 V.V Robot Coupe). Wood pulp having a Schopper Riegler of 70-80 SR was added to water to form a mixture of water and 3 wt% wood pulp. Alginate was added slowly over 5 minutes at a speed of 600RPM. Ground cellulose was then added slowly over 5 minutes into the slurry mix. This was followed by the addition of glycerol, mixed with water, which was added over 2 minutes. The final gel slurry was left to mix for a further 10 minutes before it was poured into a beaker. This slurry mix was then slowly stirred using an overhead mixer. The gel slurry had a 15% solid content.
• the resultant slurry comprised wood pulp (7.5wt%), alginate algogel 6021 (7.5wt%), glycerol (50wt%), and ground cellulose (35wt%) (all weight percentages on a dry weight basis).
• the gel slurry was pumped into a 0.06M calcium formate bath solution using a 620S Watson Marlow peristaltic pump, using a 2.0mm circular nozzle.
• the residence time was 0 mins (gel strands in mesh tray were removed immediately) and gel strands were dried at 70°C for 3 hours.
• the tensile strength of individual strands selected from the material was measured using tensile/compression instrument Instron 68TM-5 (TCT_004) using Bluehill Universal software.
• Non-linear strands to be tested were visually selected from the bulk sample material avoiding clumping with the rest of the sample and with approximately 4 to 6 cm coiled length. Strands were cut from the rest of the sample material. Examples of the strands tested are shown in Figure 13.
• Keyence VHX-6000 (DMI_001) was used to measure the coiled and uncoiled length of the strands. An image of an example strand is shown in Figure 14. Selective sampling technique was applied instead of random sampling. Strands were visually selected avoiding clumping with the rest of the sample. Strands were cut from the rest of the sample.
• a series of materials were made by forming a gel slurry in a 10L Robot Coupe mixer (R 10 V.V Robot Coupe) as follows. Wood pulp having a Schopper Riegler of 70-80 SR was added to water to form a mixture of water and 3 wt% wood pulp. Alginate was added slowly over 5 minutes at a speed of 600RPM. Ground cellulose was then added slowly over 5 minutes into the slurry mix. This was followed by the addition of glycerol, mixed with water, which was added over 2 minutes. The final gel slurry was left to mix for a further 10 minutes before it was poured into a beaker. This slurry mix was then slowly stirred using an overhead mixer. The gel slurry had a 15% solid content.
• the resultant slurry comprised wood pulp, alginate algogel 6021 , glycerol and ground cellulose, with the percentages of each component set out in Table 5 below.
• the gel slurry was pumped into a 0.06M calcium formate bath solution using a 620S Watson Marlow peristaltic pump, using a 2.0 mm, 1.5 mm or 0.5 mm diameter circular nozzle.
• the residence time in the bath solution was Omins (gel strands in mesh tray were removed immediately) and the gel strands were subsequently dried at 70 °C for 3 hours.
• the strands of each material were divided into 4 batches and cut to 1 , 2 and 3 cm cut lengths (one batch was left uncut).
• the fill value was also measured for a known comparative aerosol-generating material comprising 50wt% glycerol, 7wt% wood pulp, 7wt% CMC and 36wt% ground cellulose.
• the fill value for this comparative material which was not in the form of non-linear strands of the present invention, was measured to be 2.696 cm 3 /g.
• a gel slurry was made in a 10L Robot Coupe mixer (R 10 V.V Robot Coupe). Alginate was added slowly to water over 5 minutes at a speed of 600RPM. Ground cellulose was then added slowly over 5 minutes into the slurry mix. Microcrystalline cellulose (MCC) was then added slowly over 5 minutes into the slurry mix. This was followed by the addition of glycerol, mixed with water, which was added over 2 minutes. The final gel slurry was left to mix for a further 10 minutes before it was poured into a beaker. This slurry mix was then slowly stirred using an overhead mixer.
• MMC Microcrystalline cellulose
• the resultant slurry comprised alginate algogel 6021 (7.5wt%), glycerol (20wt%), ground cellulose (50wt%), and MCC (22.5wt%) (all weight percentages on a dry weight basis).
• the gel slurry was pumped into a 0.06M calcium formate bath solution using a 620S Watson Marlow peristaltic pump, using a 0.5mm circular nozzle.
• the residence time was 0 mins (gel strands in mesh tray were removed immediately) and gel strands were dried at 70°C for 3 hours.
• the slurry was pumped into a calcium formate bath solution also comprising 20 wt% glycerol using a 0.8 mm or 1.0 mm circular nozzle.
• the residence time was 30 seconds and gel strands were dried in a heat tunnel at 120°C for 3.5 minutes.
• the glycerol content of the final material was measured by gas chromatography with flame ionisation detection (GC-FID), with the results presented below.
• the glycerol content given below for Examples 5a, 5b and 5c is an average of three strands from the same batch.

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• 2023
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