Abstract: The invention relates to a filter or filter element with a substantially cylindrical filter body, which contains, in particular, at least two different additives, the additives being located in at least two zones which are arranged one after the other in the longitudinal-axial direction of the filter body and/or in at least two zones, more particularly layers, which at least in sections lie one above the other in the radial direction of the filter body. The invention also relates to a filter or filter element for tobacco smoke, comprising a substantially cylindrical filter body that can be made from a material which in its initial state is flat, more particularly endlessly curled filaments, paper, fibrous webbing, textile material, non-woven and the like, the filter body comprising at least two zones which are arranged one after the other in the longitudinal-axial direction of the filter body, a tobacco-end zone containing an additive and a mouth-end zone being free from additive.

Abstract: The invention relates to a high performance cigarette filter on the basis of cellulose ester fibers or filaments which can be mechanically disintegrated. The inventive high-performance cigarette filter is characterized in that a) the fiber weight (or filament weight)/draw resistance ratio S based on the filament titer is greater than approximately 0.7, the S value being calculated according to the formula S=(mA/&Dgr;P7.8/dpf[10 m/daPA], wherein mA refers to the fiber weight, &Dgr;P refers to the draw resistance and dpf represents the filament titer and for the draw resistance the value calculated for a diameter of 7.8 mm is inserted, b) the residual crimping value of the filter material does not exceed the value 1.45, c) the fiber weight amounts to maximally 10 mg/mm of the filter length, and d) the hardness of the cigarette filter is higher than approximately 90% filtrona hardness.

Abstract: The disclosure relates to a melt-blown non-woven fabric based on cellulose esters, with fibers of mean diameter less than about 10 microns. The fabric contains 0-10 wt. % extractable softener, has a reflection factor determined according to DIN 53 145 Part I (1992) of more than 60% and the cellulose ester has a degree of substitution DS of about 1.5-3.0. The softener is preferably water-extractable. A melt-blown non-woven fabric is produced with the cellulose ester as follows: a cellulose ester, cellulose acetate, with a DS of about 1.5-3.0, in particular 1.7-2.7, is mixed with softener in a weight ratio of about 2:1 to 1:4 and simultaneously heated and melted. The mixture of softener and cellulose ester has a melting index MFI (210/2.16) according to DIN 53 735 of about 400 to 5 g/10 min., in particular 300 to 50 g/10 min. The melt is worked in a melt-blown spinning device into a melt-blown non-woven fabric and the softener is then extracted with a softener solvent to leave a proportion of 0-10 wt. %.

Abstract: There are described filaments on the basis of a cellulose acetate soluble in acetone, the degree of polymerization (DP) of the cellulose acetate being between about 110 and 210 and the degree of substitution (DS) preferably between about 2.2 and 2.7. Optically isotropic spinning solutions can be obtained, the cellulose acetate concentration of which is about 35 to 47 mass-%. When such an optically isotropic spinning solution is spun, in particular by dry spinning, filaments are obtained in a profitable manner because the costs connected with the recovery of the acetone can be appreciably lowered, without impairing the desirable properties of the filaments, which are suitable in particular for the production of cigarette filter tow.

Abstract: Consolidated nonwoven fabrics and the process of producing theme is disclosed. The fabrics absorb water and substances with oleophilic and/or lipophilic properties. The inventive process includes blow-spinning a melt or a solution of a spinnable polymeric material to textile fibers and/or filaments, preferably having a diameter of 0.1 to 6 .mu.m, more preferably 0.5 to 3 .mu.m, transforming these textile fibers and/or filaments to a nonwoven fabric, consolidating this fabric and applying a wetting agent to the fabric. Consolidation is accomplished by means of water jets, then a zwitterionic or cationic surfactant is applied to the fabric in a wet-in-wet procedure during or immediately after the water-jet consolidation, and the fabric is dried; these procedures are performed continuously. A polyester or a polyamide is used preferentially as the polymeric material.

Abstract: A filter for separating substances having lipophilic and/or oleophilic and/or apolar properties, such as fats, oils, substituted or unsubstituted hydrocarbons, from different liquids, gases and vapors, such as water, (moist) air and water vapor, employing polyolefin fibers and/or filaments which have a diameter of 0.1 to 10 82 m, and preferably 0.5 to 2 .mu.m, as filter material. The filter material is present in the form of bands or strands which are of finite or infinite length, and which are formed from webs, waddings or other sheet-like structures made of such fine fibers and/or filaments and which are arranged with respect to each other in such a way that free openings and passages are in between them. The filter material perferably consists of polyethylene and/or polypropylene fibers and/or filaments.

Abstract: The invention is a device for the dry purification of gases under low pressure by adsorption of the impurities, particularly hydrogen sulfide, on a fixed bed of adsorbent material. The entire surface of the gas adsorbent material is spread as a loose layer on the ground and is covered with a gas-impermeable plastic or with a gas-impermeable fabric. Underneath the gas purifying adsorbent layer is a layer of gas-permeable material, in which are embedded gas-carrying pipes which are connected to a collecting pipe laid underground. Gas carrying pipes are arranged between the surface of the particulate adsorption layer and the cover.