Abstract: A process for producing a synthetic smoking material is disclosed. The process preferably comprises forming an aqueous slurry of cellulosic material, preferably in the form of loose and slightly beaten cellulose fibers, adding certain metal salts to the slurry, casting the same and thereafter drying, conditioning and slitting or cutting the resulting sheet to produce a low tar filler material. The water-soluble metal salts to be added are selected from the group consisting of calcium salts, magnesium salts, iron salts, and aluminum salts, and are preceded or followed by addition of ammonium or alkali metal salts capable of precipitating the cation of the said water-soluble salts.

Abstract: A tobacco product with a high specific volume and particularly suited for use as cigarette or cigar filler produced by laminating together two sheets of reconstituted tobacco sheet under conditions so that the resulting laminate, after shredding, contains shreds in which the plies are only partly adhered and partly separated, whereby a filler having substantially increased filling power is produced as compared with conventional reconstituted tobacco sheet.

Abstract: Smokable tobacco compositions having a reduced tendency to produce carbon monoxide and made by including in the composition an alkali-metal salt of a carboxylic acid in the range of from about 6.5 to about 20%. Such additives have been included in smoking compositions in the past, but normally in minor amounts and as burn enhancers. In accordance with the invention increased amounts result in greatly reduced production of undesirable carbon monoxide while not otherwise adversely affecting the tobacco smokable composition. At higher concentrations such additives may retard burn which may be further desirable where fast burning tobacco compositions are employed. Examples of alkali-metal salts include sodium or potassium salts of acids such as carbonic, formic, acetic, propionic, malic, lactic, glycolic, citric, tartaric, fumaric, malonic, and succinic.

Abstract: A rod of smoking material, for use as a smoking article or a part thereof is formed by a multiplicity of laminiform self-sustaining smoking-material elements, for example discs, extending transversely of the rod and located in face-to-face contact with one another. The thickness of the elements, which may be up to 2.5 mm, is suitably within a range of 0.1 to 0.8 mm. It may vary within the rod or from element to element along the rod. The material of the elements may have inherent smoke-permeability sufficient to afford an acceptable pressure drop through the rod or the elements may be formed or provided with smoke passages therethrough, with either the same relative distribution of passages from one element to the next or with adjacent elements so oriented in relation to each other as to provide smoke passages of predetermined form through the rod. The smoking material of the elements preferably extends over an area less than the cross-sectional area of the rod, suitably over 10 to 40% of that area.

Abstract: An improved process for expanding tobacco is disclosed wherein tobacco components such as stems, midribs and veins are contacted with an alkaline-hydrogen peroxide solution to effect expansion, washed and then dried and/or roasted to produce an expanded tobacco material highly suitable for use in smoking products. Prior to contact with the alkaline hydrogen peroxide solution, the tobacco materials are subjected to a pretreatment step with gaseous ozone to prevent clumping and/or interadherence of the tobacco shreds which would otherwise occur during the drying step.

Abstract: A method for increasing the filling power of sheet or shredded reconstituted tobacco which is normally not susceptible to conventional expansion techniques is provided. In the practice of the method reconstituted tobacco having a uniform moisture content of 15-50 weight percent is heated to a temperature above about 90.degree. C. for a period of time beyond that required to drive off substantially all moisture and then is reordered. Heating may be effected in a convection or microwave oven or a drying tower. By means of the method, the tobacco is stiffened whereby a substantially irreversible filling power increase is effected.

Abstract: Tobacco sheet is prepared from high solids aqueous slurries incorporating a reinforcing agent constituted by unrefined short cellulose fiber, having an average length of less than 2.0 mm.