Abstract: The invention provides a method for making a fuel element for a smoking article including the steps of mixing a metal-containing catalyst precursor with a filler material or graphite or a combination thereof to form a pre-treated fuel element component; optionally calcining the pre-treated fuel element component in order to convert the catalyst precursor to a catalytic metal compound; after the optional calcining step, combining the pre-treated fuel element component with a carbonaceous material and a binder to produce a fuel element composition; and forming the fuel element composition into a fuel element adapted for use in a smoking article. Examples of metal-containing catalyst precursors include iron nitrate, copper nitrate, cerium nitrate, cerium ammonium nitrate, manganese nitrate, magnesium nitrate, and zinc nitrate. Fuel elements treated according to the invention, and smoking articles including such fuel elements, are also provided.

Abstract: The invention provides a method for making a fuel element for a smoking article comprising forming a combustible carbonaceous material into a fuel element adapted for use in a smoking article; incorporating a metal-containing catalyst precursor into the fuel element or onto the surface thereof to form a treated fuel element, the incorporating step occurring before, during, or after said forming step; and optionally heating or irradiating the treated fuel element at a temperature and for a time sufficient to convert the catalyst precursor to a catalytic metal compound. Examples of metal-containing catalyst precursors include iron nitrate, copper nitrate, cerium nitrate, cerium ammonium nitrate, manganese nitrate, magnesium nitrate, and zinc nitrate. Fuel elements treated according to the invention, and smoking articles including such fuel elements, are also provided.

Abstract: The present invention provides a conductive substrate useful for Joule heating, such as in an electronic smoking article. Particularly, the invention provides a resistive heating element formed of a conductive substrate. The conductive substrate comprises an electrically conductive material and a carbonaceous additive, such as a binder material. The conductive substrate is carbonized in that it is subjected to calcining conditions to effectively reduce the carbonaceous additive to its carbon skeleton. It has been found that such carbonized substrate has surprisingly improved resistance properties in relation a substrate of the same formulation that is not carbonized. The carbonized substrate can include an aerosol precursor material. The formed resistive heating element can be included in an electronic smoking article to simultaneously provide resistive heating and aerosol formation with a single, unitary component.

Abstract: The invention provides a modified adsorbent material impregnated with a metal oxide, which can be used in a filter element adapted for use in a smoking article. The modified adsorbent material exhibits increased filtration efficiency with respect to certain gas phase species of mainstream cigarette smoke. Exemplary adsorbent materials that can be modified according to the invention include activated carbon, molecular sieves, clays, ion exchange resins, activated aluminas, silica gels, meerschaum, and mixtures thereof. One example of a metal oxide is cerium oxide. Impregnation with a metal oxide can be accomplished by directly treating the adsorbent with a metal oxide or impregnating the adsorbent with a metal oxide precursor, such as cerium nitrate, followed by calcining the impregnated material to convert the precursor to the desired metal oxide. Methods of forming the modified adsorbent material and smoking article filters incorporating the modified adsorbent material are also provided.

Abstract: The invention provides a method for making a fuel element for a smoking article comprising forming a combustible carbonaceous material into a fuel element adapted for use in a smoking article; incorporating a metal-containing catalyst precursor into the fuel element or onto the surface thereof to form a treated fuel element, the incorporating step occurring before, during, or after said forming step; and optionally heating or irradiating the treated fuel element at a temperature and for a time sufficient to convert the catalyst precursor to a catalytic metal compound. Examples of metal-containing catalyst precursors include iron nitrate, copper nitrate, cerium nitrate, cerium ammonium nitrate, manganese nitrate, magnesium nitrate, and zinc nitrate. Fuel elements treated according to the invention, and smoking articles including such fuel elements, are also provided.

Abstract: A cigarette includes lighting and mouth ends. It may include a smokable segment disposed at the lighting end. It also includes a mouth-end segment; an aerosol-generation system disposed between the lighting and mouth ends, which includes (i) a heat-generation segment adjacent the smokable segment, including a heat source and an insulation layer and (ii) an aerosol-generating segment including a substrate, which may include tobacco pellets and aerosol-forming material disposed in a substrate cavity between the heat generation segment and the mouth end; a piece of outer wrapping material that provides an overwrap around at least a portion of the aerosol-generating segment, the heat-generation segment, and at least a portion of the smokable segment and includes a foil strip laminated thereon; those segments being connected together by the overwrap to provide a cigarette rod; that is connected to the mouth-end segment using tipping material.

Abstract: The invention provides a method of increasing the mesopore volume of a porous activated carbon, comprising coating a porous activated carbon with a metal oxide or metal oxide precursor to form a treated activated carbon; and calcining the treated activated carbon, in a dry atmosphere, for a time and at a temperature sufficient to increase the mesopore volume of the treated activated carbon. The invention also provides an activated carbon having a total mesopore volume of at least about 0.10 cc/g and less than about 0.25 cc/g, and a percentage of mesopore volume per total pore volume of at least about 15% and less than about 35%. Activated carbon modified according to the invention, cigarette filters incorporating such activated carbon, and smoking articles made with such filters are included in the invention.

Abstract: A filter element incorporating an adsorbent material is provided. The filter element may comprise a first section of filter material and a second section of filter material spaced apart to form a compartment therebetween. The compartment may be filled with one or more adsorbents or the compartment may be divided into two regions, wherein one compartment region is filled with an adsorbent and the other compartment region is either filled with an ion-exchange resin or remains empty. The section of filter material adjacent to the tobacco rod may include one or more channels therethrough for passaging smoke directly from the tobacco rod into the adsorbent-filled compartment. The mouth end section of filter material may contain a breakable capsule, wherein the breakable capsule is filled with a flavoring agent capable of altering the taste characteristics of mainstream smoke.

Abstract: A filter element incorporating an adsorbent material is provided. The filter element may comprise a first section of filter material and a second section of filter material spaced apart to form a compartment therebetween. The compartment may be filled with one or more adsorbents or the compartment may be divided into two regions, wherein one compartment region is filled with an adsorbent and the other compartment region is either filled with an ion-exchange resin or remains empty. The section of filter material adjacent to the tobacco rod may include one or more channels therethrough for passaging smoke directly from the tobacco rod into the adsorbent-filled compartment. The mouth end section of filter material may contain a breakable capsule, wherein the breakable capsule is filled with a flavoring agent capable of altering the taste characteristics of mainstream smoke.

Abstract: The invention provides a method for making a fuel element for a smoking article including the steps of mixing a metal-containing catalyst precursor with a filler material or graphite or a combination thereof to form a pre-treated fuel element component; optionally calcining the pre-treated fuel element component in order to convert the catalyst precursor to a catalytic metal compound; after the optional calcining step, combining the pre-treated fuel element component with a carbonaceous material and a binder to produce a fuel element composition; and forming the fuel element composition into a fuel element adapted for use in a smoking article. Examples of metal-containing catalyst precursors include iron nitrate, copper nitrate, cerium nitrate, cerium ammonium nitrate, manganese nitrate, magnesium nitrate, and zinc nitrate. Fuel elements treated according to the invention, and smoking articles including such fuel elements, are also provided.

Abstract: The invention provides a modified adsorbent material impregnated with a metal oxide, which can be used in a filter element adapted for use in a smoking article. The modified adsorbent material exhibits increased filtration efficiency with respect to certain gas phase species of mainstream cigarette smoke. Exemplary adsorbent materials that can be modified according to the invention include activated carbon, molecular sieves, clays, ion exchange resins, activated aluminas, silica gels, meerschaum, and mixtures thereof. One example of a metal oxide is cerium oxide. Impregnation with a metal oxide can be accomplished by directly treating the adsorbent with a metal oxide or impregnating the adsorbent with a metal oxide precursor, such as cerium nitrate, followed by calcining the impregnated material to convert the precursor to the desired metal oxide. Methods of forming the modified adsorbent material and smoking article filters incorporating the modified adsorbent material are also provided.

Abstract: The invention provides a method of increasing the mesopore volume of a porous activated carbon, comprising coating a porous activated carbon with a metal oxide or metal oxide precursor to form a treated activated carbon; and calcining the treated activated carbon, in a dry atmosphere, for a time and at a temperature sufficient to increase the mesopore volume of the treated activated carbon. The invention also provides an activated carbon having a total mesopore volume of at least about 0.10 cc/g and less than about 0.25 cc/g, and a percentage of mesopore volume per total pore volume of at least about 15% and less than about 35%. Activated carbon modified according to the invention, cigarette filters incorporating such activated carbon, and smoking articles made with such filters are included in the invention.

Abstract: The invention provides a method for making a fuel element for a smoking article comprising forming a combustible carbonaceous material into a fuel element adapted for use in a smoking article; incorporating a metal-containing catalyst precursor into the fuel element or onto the surface thereof to form a treated fuel element, the incorporating step occurring before, during, or after said forming step; and optionally heating or irradiating the treated fuel element at a temperature and for a time sufficient to convert the catalyst precursor to a catalytic metal compound. Examples of metal-containing catalyst precursors include iron nitrate, copper nitrate, cerium nitrate, cerium ammonium nitrate, manganese nitrate, magnesium nitrate, and zinc nitrate. Fuel elements treated according to the invention, and smoking articles including such fuel elements, are also provided.

Abstract: A non-combustion, chemical heat source includes a heat chamber having a closed end and an open end. The heat chamber includes an apertured heat cartridge disposed at the open end of the chamber, an abutment disposed at the closed end of the chamber, an activating solution, a frangible seal separating the activating solution and the heat cartridge. The heat cartridge includes metallic agents that may come in a variety of configurations. The heat source is activated when the heat cartridge is pushed through and breaks the frangible seal allowing contact between the metallic agents and the activating solution. The heat cartridge includes an aperture in the bottom of the cartridge and absorbent paper surrounding the metallic agents, both of which control the transfer of the activating solution into the metallic agents to cause the chemical reaction. The heat sources may be incorporated into smoking articles and may also be used to heat foods or beverages, in hand warmers, and to heat equipment or materials.

Abstract: A filter element incorporating an adsorbent material is provided. The filter element may comprise a first section of filter material and a second section of filter material spaced apart to form a compartment therebetween. The compartment may be filled with one or more adsorbents or the compartment may be divided into two regions, wherein one compartment region is filled with an adsorbent and the other compartment region is either filled with an ion-exchange resin or remains empty. The section of filter material adjacent to the tobacco rod may include one or more channels therethrough for passaging smoke directly from the tobacco rod into the adsorbent-filled compartment. The mouth end section of filter material may contain a breakable capsule, wherein the breakable capsule is filled with a flavoring agent capable of altering the taste characteristics of mainstream smoke.

Abstract: The present invention provides smoking articles comprising ultrafine particles. In an embodiment, a combustible material component of a smoking article may comprise ultrafine particles. In other embodiments, ultrafine particles are incorporated into a smoking article in proximity to a combustible material component. The present invention also provides methods for altering smoke chemistry.

Abstract: The present invention provides wrapping materials suitable for use with smoking articles, the wrapping materials comprising ultrafine particles. The present invention is described with reference to a cigarette having a wrapping material comprising ultrafine particles. The ultrafine particles may be distributed in regions throughout the wrapping material in the form of patterns including longitudinal or circumferential bands.

Abstract: An improved substrate for use in smoking articles is produced by infusing aerosol forming material into tobacco. The infusion can take place in one or multiple steps. Preferably, about 10% to about 40% by weight of aerosol former, such as glycerin is infused into strip tobacco at elevated temperatures. The tobacco containing the aerosol former may then be dried, equilibrated to ambient conditions and/or blended with tobacco which does not have added aerosol former. Preferably the resulting material is again infused with an additional about 5% to about 15% by weight of aerosol former, at elevated temperatures. The new substrate material, and the method for making it, result in a substrate which has reduced migration of aerosol former and substantially improved manufacturing characteristics.

Abstract: A cigarette smoking article achieves very low levels of CO and other gas phase components by means of substantial air dilution, but has an acceptable pressure drop and sufficient delivery of particulate matter to provide a flavorful smoke. The filter has two sections, an upstream section which has substantially no pressure drop thereacross and a downstream section which provides substantially all the pressure drop of the filter. Dilution air is admitted to the upstream section of the filter to mix with mainstream smoke before it passes through the downstream section of the filter and thereby reduce the CO and gas phase levels in the smoke.

Abstract: A cigarette having an improved carbon-bearing filter. A cigarette is provided with a smokable rod attached to a filter element having a region of carbon-bearing cellulose acetate tow surrounding a substantially impermeable member in the form of a hollow plastic tube crimped at the upstream end. As a result, the carbon-bearing region transitions from a circular cross-section to an annular cross-section. A plurality of circumferentially arranged holes are provided in the filter to permit dilution of the smoke passing through the filter. The resulting filter element provides reduction in gas phase components of smoke, dilution by ambient air and acceptable drawing characteristics.