Dried apricot extract capsule, cigarette filter, and method for preparing dried apricot extract capsule

Abstract

The present application relates to the technical field of tobacco manufacturing, in particular to apricot kernel extract capsules, cigarette filters and a preparation method of apricot kernel extract capsules; the apricot kernel extract capsules are prepared by using light-cured microcapsule forming technology, and comprise: a core material, which is an apricot kernel extract composite aqueous solution and is prepared by compounding apricot kernel extract, an edible core material viscosity regulator and an edible core material density regulator; wherein the mass fraction of the viscosity regulator is 0.5%-2% of the mass of the core material, and the mass fraction of the density regulator is 0.5%-2% of the mass of the core material; and a wall material, which is a polymer film formed by light curing of a light-cured resin. The present application greatly reduces the thickness and strength deviation of the shell layer, and further improves the uniformity and stability of the capsule quality. This not only helps to improve the production efficiency and reduce the rate of defective products, but also brings more stable and consistent sensory experience to cigarette products.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of tobacco manufacturing technology, specifically to a method for preparing apricot extract capsules, cigarette filters, and apricot extract capsules. Background Technology

[0002] To meet the requirements of tobacco processing and smoking quality, the flavorings of Chinese cigarettes are mostly water / alcohol-soluble. Besides the aqueous phase, the main body of these flavorings consists of a blend of volatile and semi-volatile aroma-producing components such as alcohols, acids, and esters. The resulting organic phase system is characterized by low polarity, low viscosity, and low density, with a density significantly lower than that of resins. Furthermore, it exhibits a certain degree of miscibility and interfacial compatibility with resins.

[0003] Photopolymerization microcapsule molding technology, as an emerging microcapsule preparation technology, has shown great potential in many fields. However, when using photopolymerization microcapsule molding technology to prepare Chinese-style cigarette water / alcohol-soluble flavor capsules, several technical challenges arise. Firstly, there is the density difference between the core material and the wall material. Because the density of the flavor organic phase system is significantly lower than that of the resin, this density difference easily leads to droplet instability and eccentricity during preparation. Furthermore, droplets are prone to aggregation, severely affecting the normal formation and stable existence of droplets, thus hindering the successful preparation of capsules. Secondly, there is the compatibility issue between the organic phase and the resin. Incompatibility between the two can disrupt the interfacial film-forming process, causing capsule wall damage during capsule formation, making flavor leakage easy; it also leads to a decrease in encapsulation rate, failing to effectively encapsulate the flavor inside the wall material; and it also causes a widening of the particle size distribution, resulting in capsules of varying sizes and making it difficult to guarantee uniform performance. Thirdly, there is the viscosity difference between the core material and the wall material. When the viscosity difference between the core material and the wall material is too large, the shell layer may not be completely wrapped during the preparation process, which may prevent some of the fragrance from being effectively wrapped by the wall material, thus affecting the quality and performance of the capsule.

[0004] The aforementioned problems make it difficult to stably prepare water / alcohol-soluble flavor capsules with regular morphology and uniform performance using conventional processes, which seriously restricts the encapsulation process and application promotion of water / alcohol-soluble flavors in Chinese cigarettes. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The purpose of this invention is to provide an apricot extract capsule, a cigarette filter, and a method for preparing apricot extract capsules in order to solve at least one of the above-mentioned technical problems. By compounding density regulators and viscosity regulators in the core material of the millimeter-level flavor capsule, the requirements of not interfering with aroma release, not destroying aroma components, and not affecting sensory quality are met. By controlling the density, interfacial tension, and rheological properties of the core material, the encapsulation of flavor in the microfluidic system, the stability of capsule formation, and the structural consistency are improved, thereby providing a practical and feasible path for the encapsulation and application of water / alcohol-soluble flavor in Chinese cigarettes.

[0006] The present invention achieves the above objectives through the following technical solutions: A capsule containing dried apricot extract, prepared using photopolymerization microencapsulation technology, wherein the capsule comprises: Core material: is a composite aqueous solution of dried apricot extract, formulated from dried apricot extract, food-grade core material viscosity modifier, and food-grade core material density modifier; wherein, the mass fraction of the viscosity modifier is 0.5%-2% of the core material mass, and the mass fraction of the density modifier is 0.5%-2% of the core material mass; Wall material: a polymer film formed by photocuring of a photocurable resin.

[0007] Furthermore, the photocurable resin is one or more of the following resins in a compound: polyurethane acrylic resin and its modified resin, epoxy acrylic resin and its modified resin, polyester acrylic resin and its modified resin.

[0008] Furthermore, the viscosity modifier is a water-soluble polymer material, including one or more of polyvinyl alcohol, carboxymethyl cellulose, and polyvinylpyrrolidone.

[0009] Furthermore, the density regulator is an inorganic salt, including one or more of sodium chloride, calcium chloride, magnesium chloride, and zinc chloride.

[0010] Furthermore, the viscosity modifier has a mass fraction of 2% of the core material mass, and the density modifier has a mass fraction of 2% of the core material mass.

[0011] A cigarette filter comprising any of the above-mentioned apricot extract capsules.

[0012] A method for preparing apricot extract capsules, the method comprising the following steps: A mixed core material solution containing a food-grade viscosity modifier, a food-grade density modifier, and an apricot extract solution is prepared; the viscosity modifier has a mass fraction of 0.5%-2% of the core material mass, and the density modifier has a mass fraction of 0.5%-2% of the core material mass. Prepare a photocurable resin wall material solution containing sheet-like nanofillers; Based on photocurable microcapsule molding technology, millimeter-sized apricot extract capsules were prepared using a prepared photocurable resin wall material solution as the wall material fluid and a prepared mixed core material solution as the core material fluid.

[0013] Furthermore, the photocurable resin is one or more of the following resins in a compound: polyurethane acrylic resin and its modified resin, epoxy acrylic resin and its modified resin, polyester acrylic resin and its modified resin.

[0014] Furthermore, the viscosity modifier is a water-soluble polymer material, including one or more of polyvinyl alcohol, carboxymethyl cellulose, and polyvinylpyrrolidone; The density regulator is an inorganic salt, including one or more of sodium chloride, calcium chloride, magnesium chloride, and zinc chloride.

[0015] Furthermore, the viscosity modifier has a mass fraction of 2% of the core material mass, and the density modifier has a mass fraction of 2% of the core material mass.

[0016] The beneficial effects of this invention are as follows: This invention introduces density and viscosity modifiers into the core material of dried apricot extract, providing a practical and highly targeted improvement for the encapsulation of water / alcohol-soluble flavorings. By adding the density modifier, the density difference between the dried apricot extract core material and the UV-cured resin wall material is reduced, improving the eccentricity problem caused by uneven density during capsule preparation and enhancing the concentricity of the capsule shell and core. This results in a more regular and uniform capsule structure, laying a solid foundation for high-quality capsule molding. The addition of the viscosity modifier reduces the dripping speed of the composite droplets, allowing the shell sufficient time to fully encapsulate the core, further consolidating the capsule's concentricity. This dual regulation mechanism significantly improves the capsule's molding rate and structural stability, enhances capsule concentricity, and strengthens its crushing strength.

[0017] This invention significantly reduces the deviation in shell thickness and strength, further improving the uniformity and stability of capsule quality. This not only helps improve production efficiency and reduce the defect rate, but also brings a more stable and consistent sensory experience to cigarette products. This invention provides reliable and efficient technical support for the application of complex flavor system capsules in the cigarette industry, and has broad market application prospects and significant economic and social benefits. Attached Figure Description

[0018] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of an apparatus for preparing photocurable water-carrying capsules; Figure 2 for Figure 1 Schematic diagram of the principle of the device; Figure 3 This is a flowchart illustrating a method for preparing apricot extract capsules according to one embodiment of the present invention. Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the morphology of the sample in Comparative Example 1. Figure 5 Schematic diagram of sample morphology with different PVA mass fractions when the NaCl mass fraction is 2% of the core material mass; Figure 6 The effect of different PVA mass fractions on capsule size when the NaCl mass fraction is 2% of the core material mass; Figure 7 Schematic diagram of sample morphology with different NaCl mass fractions when the PVA mass fraction is 2% of the core material mass; Figure 8 The effect of different NaCl mass fractions on capsule size when the PVA mass fraction is 2% of the core material mass; Figure 9 The effect of different PVA mass fractions on the mechanical properties of capsules when the NaCl mass fraction is 2% of the core material mass; Figure 10 The effect of different NaCl mass fractions on the mechanical properties of capsules when the mass fraction of PVA is 2% of the core material mass; Figure 11 The UV-Vis absorption spectrum of apricot extract capsules containing the dye Rhodamine B is shown in the image. Figure 12 The diffusion of the apricot extract capsules prepared in Example 1. Detailed Implementation

[0019] The invention will now be discussed with reference to exemplary embodiments. It should be understood that the described embodiments are merely intended to enable those skilled in the art to better understand and thus implement the invention, and are not intended to imply any limitation on the scope of the invention.

[0020] As used herein, the term "comprising" and its variations are to be interpreted as open-ended terms meaning "including but not limited to". The term "based on" is to be interpreted as "at least partially based on". The terms "one embodiment" and "an embodiment" are to be interpreted as "at least one embodiment".

[0021] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of an apparatus for preparing photocurable water-carrying capsules; Figure 2 for Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the principle of the device. (e.g.) Figure 1-2 As shown, the device uses photocurable microcapsule molding technology to prepare capsules. It consists of a core structure of "three-layer coaxial needles + vertically connected ultraviolet-transmitting molding tubes", combined with phase pumps, photocuring devices, exhaust devices, collectors and other components to form a complete preparation device. The three-layer coaxial needles are composed of three nested needles (inner, middle and outer) and correspondingly connected inner phase pumps, middle phase pumps and outer phase pumps. The ultraviolet transmittance of the molding tube is not less than 80%. The outside of the tube is equipped with a photocuring device with ring / spiral / parallel ultraviolet lamp beads. An exhaust branch pipe with a valve is located near the upper part of the needle end. The other end is immersed in the outer phase liquid of the collector. All components work together to achieve one-step molding of water-carrying capsules.

[0022] Microfluidic technology is used to coaxially drop and form photocurable millimeter-sized microcapsules. Specifically, the inner phase (composite aqueous solution), the intermediate phase (photocurable mixture), and the outer phase (circulating phase, immiscible with the intermediate phase) are first loaded into corresponding phase pumps. The emulsion droplets are then simultaneously extruded through three coaxial needles at a flow rate of 0.05-30 mL / min. After the droplets enter the vertical forming tube, the intermediate phase is photocured under ultraviolet light irradiation in the photocuring device outside the tube. The venting device of the forming tube removes air from the pipeline to prevent droplets from sticking to the wall. The formed water-carrying capsules are directly placed into a collector immersed in the outer phase liquid to avoid deformation caused by liquid surface impact. Finally, photocurable water-carrying capsules with high concentricity and high sphericity are obtained.

[0023] To improve the capsule's formation rate and structural stability, this invention proposes an apricot extract capsule, prepared using photopolymerization microcapsule forming technology, wherein: The core material is a composite aqueous solution of dried apricot extract, which is formulated from dried apricot extract, food-grade core material viscosity modifier, and food-grade core material density modifier; the mass fraction of the viscosity modifier is 0.5%-2% of the core material weight, and the mass fraction of the density modifier is 0.5%-2% of the core material weight. The wall material is a polymer film formed by photocuring of a photocurable resin.

[0024] In this embodiment, an apricot extract capsule is proposed. This capsule utilizes photocurable microcapsule molding technology as its core, with an apricot extract composite aqueous solution as the core material's inner phase. This core material is composed of apricot extract compounded with 0.5%-2% by mass of a food-grade core material viscosity modifier and 0.5%-2% by mass of a food-grade core material density modifier. A photocurable resin serves as the wall material's intermediate phase, and a liquid immiscible with the intermediate phase serves as the outer circulating phase (such as sodium alginate solution, carboxymethyl cellulose solution, chitosan solution, polyvinyl alcohol solution, silicone oil, vegetable oil, or mineral oil). The three phases are respectively loaded into corresponding phase pumps, and then... The flow rate ratio of the inner phase and outer phase is 1:(2~8):(10~50). The emulsion droplets are formed by synchronous extrusion through three coaxial needles at a flow rate of 0.05-30 mL / min. After the droplets enter the vertical forming tube, the mesophase is photocured under the ultraviolet light of the photocuring device outside the tube to form a polymer film wall material. The exhaust device of the forming tube removes air from the pipeline in real time to prevent the droplets from sticking to the wall. The formed apricot extract capsules are directly entered into the collector immersed in the outer phase liquid, which effectively avoids the capsule deformation caused by liquid impact. Finally, apricot extract photocured water-carrying capsules with high concentricity, high sphericity and good forming rate and structural stability are obtained.

[0025] A cigarette filter comprising any of the above-mentioned apricot extract capsules.

[0026] In this embodiment, any of the apricot extract capsules of the present invention are added to the cigarette filter to increase the moisture content of the mainstream cigarette smoke and improve the sensory comfort of smoking.

[0027] Figure 3 This is a flowchart illustrating a method for preparing apricot extract capsules according to one embodiment of the present invention. Figure 3 As shown, this invention also proposes a method for preparing apricot extract capsules. By adding density and viscosity modifiers to the apricot extract, the molding rate and structural stability of millimeter-sized apricot extract capsules for cigarette use are improved. The preparation method includes the following steps: Step S102: Prepare a mixed core material solution containing food-grade viscosity modifier, food-grade density modifier, and apricot extract solution; the mass fraction of the viscosity modifier is 0.5%-2% of the core material mass, and the mass fraction of the density modifier is 0.5%-2% of the core material mass. Viscosity modifiers and density modifiers were dissolved in apricot extract to obtain a mixed core material solution. A certain amount of viscosity modifier was slowly added to the apricot extract in batches over 30 minutes, followed by mechanical stirring at room temperature for another 30 minutes, and then allowed to stand for 24 hours. Density modifiers and surfactants were then added, and stirring continued at room temperature for 5 hours. The mixture was then allowed to stand to defoam, yielding the core layer solution. This method ensures complete dissolution of the polymer, avoiding any impact on the subsequent capsule forming process.

[0028] The viscosity modifier is a water-soluble polymer material, including one or more of polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), carboxymethyl cellulose, and polyvinylpyrrolidone.

[0029] Density regulators are inorganic salts, specifically including one or more of NaCl, calcium chloride, magnesium chloride, and zinc chloride.

[0030] The surfactant content in the inner phase liquid is 0%-5%. Surfactants can reduce the interfacial tension between the shell and the core, which is beneficial to improving the shell coverage and capsule formation stability.

[0031] Step S104: Prepare a photocurable resin wall material solution containing sheet-like nanofillers; Preparation of photocurable resin system: After adding photoinitiator to photocurable resin, stir at room temperature in the dark for 3 hours (300 r / min) to ensure that the photoinitiator is completely dissolved in the resin and let stand to defoam, to obtain a photocurable resin system with a mass fraction of 97%. Among them, the light-curing resin includes, but is not limited to, one or more of the following: polyurethane acrylic resin and its modified resin, epoxy acrylic resin and its modified resin, and polyester acrylic resin and its modified resin. In step S106, using the photocurable resin wall material solution prepared in step S104 as the wall material fluid and the mixed core material solution prepared in step S102 as the core material fluid, millimeter-sized apricot extract capsules are prepared based on photocurable microcapsule molding technology.

[0032] The photocurable microcapsule molding technology is adopted, with the flow rate ratio of the intermediate phase (photocurable resin wall material phase), the inner phase (core material fragrance solution phase), and the outer phase being 1:(2~8):(10~50). The microfluidic coaxial droplet is then photocured to finally produce millimeter-sized microcapsules.

[0033] In this embodiment, the present invention discloses a method for preparing millimeter-sized apricot extract capsules. This method significantly improves the capsule forming rate and structural stability by compounding a density regulator and a viscosity regulator in the apricot extract core material and combining it with photocurable microcapsule molding technology. First, in step S102, the core layer solution is prepared. A water-soluble polymer viscosity modifier (one or more of polyvinyl alcohol, carboxymethyl cellulose, and polyvinylpyrrolidone) is slowly added to the apricot extract in batches over 30 minutes at a ratio of 0.5%-2% of the core material mass. After mechanical stirring at room temperature for 30 minutes, the mixture is allowed to stand for 24 hours. Then, an inorganic salt density modifier (one or more of NaCl, calcium chloride, magnesium chloride, and zinc chloride, 0.5%-2% of the core material mass) and a surfactant (0%-5% of the inner phase liquid) are added. The mixture is stirred at room temperature for another 5 hours and allowed to stand to defoam, resulting in the apricot extract composite core layer solution. This preparation method can achieve full dissolution of the polymer and avoid interference with subsequent molding. The viscosity modifier can prolong the neck fracture time of the inner phase droplet before the composite droplet solidifies, allowing the inner phase droplet to be fully centered in the intermediate phase. At the same time, it reduces the interfacial compatibility rate between the core layer and the shell layer and increases the shell layer coverage rate. If the amount added is too low, the modification effect will be poor, and if it is too high, the viscosity of the core material solution will be too high to drip. Experiments showed that 2% was the optimal addition amount of viscosity modifier, at which point the capsules exhibited good formability and the highest concentricity. The density modifier was applied to apricot extract flavor solutions (density 0.95-1.02 g / cm³). 3 ) and shell resin (1.10-1.15g / cm) 3To address the density difference issue, inorganic salts are added to reduce the density difference between the two materials, thereby reducing the thickness deviation of the capsule shell. This also improves the mechanical strength of the capsule and reduces strength fluctuations. Too little addition results in insignificant density adjustment, while too much leads to a mismatch between the core and wall materials, preventing proper capsule molding. 2% is the optimal addition amount, maximizing capsule concentricity, burst strength, and minimizing strength deviation. Surfactants reduce the interfacial tension between the shell and core, further improving shell coverage and capsule molding stability. Then, in step S104, the wall material solution is prepared. One or more of the following resins—polyurethane acrylic resin and its modified resins, epoxy acrylic resin and its modified resins, and polyester acrylic resin and its modified resins—are combined to form a photocurable resin. A photoinitiator is added, and the mixture is stirred at 300 rpm for 3 hours at room temperature in the dark to ensure complete dissolution. After defoaming, a 97% (w / w) photocurable resin system is obtained. Then, sheet-like nanofillers are added to prepare the photocurable resin wall material solution. Finally, in step S106, finished capsules are prepared based on photocurable microcapsule molding technology. The prepared photocurable resin wall material solution is used as the intermediate phase and the apricot extract composite core layer solution is used as the inner phase. Microfluidic coaxial droplet preparation is carried out at a flow rate ratio of intermediate phase: inner phase: outer phase = 1:(2~8):(10~50) to form emulsion droplets of the three-phase liquids. After UV curing treatment, the existing technology is used to achieve stable and efficient preparation of millimeter-sized monodisperse apricot extract capsules. It effectively solves the non-spherical and eccentric problems caused by factors such as gravity and drag force of composite droplets. Finally, millimeter-sized apricot extract capsules for tobacco with good concentricity, sphericity and stable mechanical properties are obtained.

[0034] The photocurable microcapsule forming technology used in the preparation of apricot extract capsules in this invention adopts existing technology, including but not limited to the preparation device and preparation method disclosed in Chinese invention patent CN114534648B, "An apparatus for preparing photocurable water-carrying capsules and a method for preparing photocurable water-carrying capsules".

[0035] This invention significantly improves the molding rate and structural stability of millimeter-sized apricot extract capsules. Experimental data strongly demonstrate this: when 2% viscosity modifier (such as polyvinyl alcohol PVA) and 2% density modifier (such as NaCl) are added to the apricot extract, the concentricity of the prepared capsules reaches 90.01%, the bursting strength reaches 12.53 N, and there is no leakage within 7 days. This series of excellent data shows that the capsules prepared by this invention are not only structurally compact and regular, but also possess excellent compressive strength and good sealing performance, meeting the stringent requirements of the cigarette industry for flavor capsules.

[0036] Example 1

[0037] According to one embodiment of the present invention, a method for preparing apricot extract capsules includes the following steps: Step 1, Preparation of the photocurable resin system: Weigh 97g of polyurethane acrylic resin, add 3g of photoinitiator, and mechanically stir at 300r / min for 3h at room temperature in the dark until the photoinitiator is completely dissolved. Let stand to defoam, and obtain a 97% photocurable resin system.

[0038] Step 2, preparation of the core layer solution: Add 1g PVA in batches over 30 minutes to a beaker containing 49g of dried apricot extract, continue mechanical stirring at room temperature for 30 minutes until no obvious particles are present, let stand for 24 hours, add 1g NaCl and 0.24g Tween 80, continue mechanical stirring for 5 hours, let stand for 1 hour to defoam, and obtain a dried apricot extract solution containing 2% PVA and 2% NaCl.

[0039] Step 3, Preparation of millimeter-sized apricot extract capsules: Using photocurable microcapsule molding technology, the photocurable resin system prepared in Step 1 was used as the wall material, and the apricot extract solution containing 2% PVA and 2% NaCl prepared in Step 2 was used as the core material. The photocurable microcapsule molding technology disclosed in CN114534648B was employed. The flow rates of each phase were controlled by an injection pump: the apricot extract solution phase core material (inner phase) flow rate was 0.5 mL / min, the photocurable resin phase wall material (intermediate phase) flow rate was 0.15 mL / min, and the circulating phase (outer phase) internal aqueous phase flow rate was 6 mL / min. After UV curing, the capsules were collected and washed with deionized water to obtain millimeter-sized apricot extract capsules with a particle size distribution of 4.10-4.15 mm.

[0040] Example 2

[0041] The method of Example 1 was used, except that the mass fraction of PVA in the core material was changed to 0.5%, while the other methods, raw materials and parameters were the same as in Example 1.

[0042] Example 3

[0043] The method of Example 1 is used, except that the mass fraction of PVA in the core material is changed to 1%, while the other methods, raw materials and parameters are the same as in Example 1.

[0044] Example 4

[0045] The method of Example 1 was used, except that the mass fraction of PVA in the core material was changed to 1.5%, while the other methods, raw materials and parameters were the same as in Example 1.

[0046] Example 5

[0047] The method of Example 1 was followed, except that the mass fraction of NaCl in the core material was changed to 0.5%, while the other methods, raw materials and parameters were the same as in Example 1.

[0048] Example 6

[0049] The method of Example 1 was followed, except that the mass fraction of NaCl in the core material was changed to 1%, while the other methods, raw materials and parameters were the same as in Example 1.

[0050] Example 7

[0051] The method of Example 1 was followed, except that the mass fraction of NaCl in the core material was changed to 1.5%, while the other methods, raw materials and parameters were the same as in Example 1.

[0052] Comparative Example 1 Following the method of Example 1, but without adding PVA and NaCl when preparing the core material solution, apricot extract with only added surfactant was used as the core material to prepare millimeter-sized apricot extract capsules.

[0053] Comparative Example 2 Following the method of Example 1, but without adding PVA when preparing the core material solution, apricot extract containing 2% NaCl and surfactant was used as the core material to prepare millimeter-sized apricot extract capsules.

[0054] Comparative Example 3 Following the method of Example 1, but without adding NaCl when preparing the core material solution, apricot extract containing 2% PVA and surfactant was used as the core material to prepare millimeter-sized apricot extract capsules.

[0055] The morphology and performance of the apricot extract capsules in the above embodiments and comparative examples were tested.

[0056] Morphological test results: Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the morphology of the sample in Comparative Example 1; where, Figure 4 (a) shows the morphology of multiple capsules (the scale bar in the figure is 3mm). Figure 4 (b) shows the morphology of a single capsule (the scale bar in the figure is 1 mm). For example... Figure 4 As shown, when PVA and NaCl are not added to the core layer, the apricot extract capsules prepared are all damaged, the resin shell cannot cover the core layer, and the shell thickness is not uniform.

[0057] Figure 5 Schematic diagrams of sample morphology with different PVA mass fractions when the NaCl mass fraction is 2% of the core material; the scale bar in the diagram of multiple capsule morphology is 3 mm, and the scale bar in the diagram of single capsule morphology is 1 mm. Figure 5 (a) shows the morphology of multiple capsules with a PVA mass fraction of 0%. Figure 5(b) shows the morphology of a single capsule with a PVA mass fraction of 0%. Figure 5 (c) shows the morphology of multiple capsules with a PVA mass fraction of 0.5%. Figure 5 (d) shows the morphology of a single capsule with a PVA mass fraction of 0.5%. Figure 5 (e) shows the morphology of multiple capsules with a PVA mass fraction of 1.0%. Figure 5 (f) shows the morphology of a single capsule with a PVA mass fraction of 1.0%. Figure 5 (g) shows the morphology of multiple capsules with a PVA mass fraction of 1.5%. Figure 5 (h) shows the morphology of a single capsule with a PVA mass fraction of 1.5%. Figure 5 (i) shows the morphology of multiple capsules with a PVA mass fraction of 2%. Figure 5 (j) shows the morphology of a single capsule with a PVA mass fraction of 2%.

[0058] Figure 6 The effect of different PVA mass fractions on capsule size when the NaCl mass fraction is 2% of the core material mass. Figure 6 (a) shows the effect on the diameter. Figure 6 (b) The effect on shell thickness, Figure 6 (c) shows the effect on roundness. Figure 6 (d) shows the effect on concentricity.

[0059] Table 1 shows the viscosity of the internal phase solution at different PVA mass fractions when the NaCl mass fraction is 2% of the core material mass.

[0060]

[0061] Table 1 like Figure 5 , 6 As shown in Table 1, when the mass fraction of NaCl is 2% and the mass fraction of PVA increases from 0% to 2%, the viscosity of the inner phase apricot extract solution increases from 1.00 mPa·s to 5.10 mPa·s. The prepared flavor capsules all exhibit good spherical shape, and the uniformity of the capsule shell gradually improves. This indicates that adding PVA to the core layer is beneficial for preparing apricot extract capsules with good spherical shape and uniform shell thickness.

[0062] When the mass fraction of PVA increased from 0% to 2.0%, the capsule diameter decreased from 4.12 mm to 4.08 mm, with diameter deviations all <0.03 mm. Numerically, the viscosity of the internal fluid has little effect on the capsule diameter. The capsule shell thickness decreased from 0.13 mm to 0.11 mm, and the thickness deviation decreased from 0.03 mm to 0.01 mm, improving shell thickness uniformity. After adding PVA, the roundness remained at approximately 95%, indicating high sphericity. The concentricity of the capsules increased from 66.52% to 88.15%, an increase of 21.63%.

[0063] The results showed that adding PVA to the apricot extract solution could effectively improve the uniformity of capsule shell thickness and significantly improve capsule concentricity.

[0064] Figure 7 Schematic diagrams of sample morphology with different NaCl mass fractions when the PVA mass fraction is 2% of the core material; the scale bar in the diagram of multiple capsule morphology is 3 mm, and the scale bar in the diagram of single capsule morphology is 1 mm. Figure 7 (a) shows the morphology of multiple capsules with a NaCl mass fraction of 0%. Figure 7 (b) shows the morphology of a single capsule with a NaCl mass fraction of 0%. Figure 7 (c) shows the morphology of multiple capsules containing 0.5% NaCl by mass. Figure 7 (d) shows the morphology of a single capsule containing 0.5% NaCl by mass. Figure 7 (e) shows the morphology of multiple capsules containing 1.0% NaCl by mass. Figure 7 (f) shows the morphology of a single capsule with a NaCl mass fraction of 1.0%. Figure 7 (g) shows the morphology of multiple capsules containing 1.5% NaCl by mass. Figure 7 (h) shows the morphology of a single capsule containing 1.5% NaCl by mass. Figure 7 (i) shows the morphology of multiple capsules containing 2% NaCl by mass. Figure 7 (j) shows the morphology of a single capsule with a NaCl mass fraction of 2%.

[0065] Figure 8 The effect of different NaCl mass fractions on capsule size when the PVA mass fraction is 2% of the core material mass. Figure 8 (a) shows the effect on the diameter. Figure 8 (b) The effect on shell thickness, Figure 8 (c) shows the effect on roundness. Figure 8 (d) shows the effect on concentricity.

[0066] Table 2 shows the three-phase density at different NaCl mass fractions when the PVA mass fraction is 2% of the core material mass.

[0067]

[0068] Table 2 like Figure 7 , 8 As shown in Table 2, when the mass fraction of PVA is 2% and the mass fraction of NaCl increases from 0% to 2%, the density of the internal phase apricot extract solution increases from 1.003 g / cm³. 3 Increased to 1.036 g / cm³ 3 The prepared flavor capsules all exhibited good spherical shape, and the uniformity of the capsule shell gradually improved, indicating that adding NaCl to the core layer is beneficial for preparing apricot extract capsules with good spherical shape and uniform shell thickness.

[0069] When the mass fraction of NaCl increased from 0% to 2.0%, the capsule diameter decreased from 4.13 mm to 4.03 mm, with a diameter deviation of <0.03 mm. The increased density of the internal phase droplets made the composite droplets more prone to breakage after neck formation, thus accelerating the formation of internal phase droplets and reducing the capsule diameter. The capsule shell thickness showed the same trend as the diameter, decreasing from 0.147 mm to 0.127 mm, with a thickness deviation of <0.006 mm. The sphericity of the capsules remained around 95%, indicating that NaCl had a relatively small impact on capsule sphericity. When 0.5% NaCl was added, the concentricity of the capsules increased significantly, from 65.87% to 78.75%; the concentricity reached its highest level of 90.01% when the mass fraction of NaCl was 2.0%.

[0070] The results showed that adding NaCl to the apricot extract solution could effectively reduce the thickness deviation of the capsule shell and significantly improve the concentricity of the capsules.

[0071] Performance test results: Figure 9 The effect of different PVA mass fractions on the mechanical properties of capsules when the NaCl mass fraction is 2% of the core material mass; Figure 9 (a) Effect on capsule compression performance, Figure 9 (b) shows the effect on the capsule's crush strength. For example... Figure 9As shown, the capsule compression performance exhibits a significant upward trend with changes in PVA mass fraction. The optimal compression performance is achieved when the PVA mass fraction is 2.0%, with a compression ratio of 24.36%. Compared to other mass fraction groups, this group of capsules can withstand greater deformation without breaking, demonstrating excellent toughness and compressive strength. As the PVA mass fraction increases from 0% to 2.0%, the capsule bursting strength increases from 6.09N to 12.53N, an increase of 105.75%; the strength deviation decreases from 0.85N to 0.41N.

[0072] Morphological analysis shows that improved capsule concentricity leads to a more uniform shell thickness distribution, resulting in a more uniform stress distribution during the capsule's stress process. Therefore, capsules prepared with 2.0% PVA exhibit superior mechanical properties.

[0073] Figure 10 The effect of different NaCl mass fractions on the mechanical properties of capsules when the mass fraction of PVA is 2% of the core material mass; Figure 10 (a) Effect on capsule compression performance, Figure 10 (b) shows the effect on the capsule's crush strength. For example... Figure 10 As shown, when the PVA mass fraction is 2.0%, the capsule compression performance exhibits a significant trend with changes in the NaCl mass fraction. The optimal compression performance is achieved when the NaCl mass fraction is 2.0%, with a compression ratio of 15.83%. Compared to other mass fraction groups, capsules in this group can withstand certain deformation and are less prone to breakage, demonstrating superior compressive toughness. When the NaCl mass fraction increases from 0% to 2.0%, the bursting strength of the capsule increases from 3.75N to 10.31N, an increase of 63.63%; the strength deviation decreases from 1.21N to 0.47N.

[0074] Morphological analysis showed that the addition of NaCl to the internal phase significantly improved the concentricity of the capsules. This increased concentricity allows for a more uniform distribution of the capsule shell thickness, ensuring that stress is evenly distributed across the entire shell when subjected to external pressure, thus preventing shell breakage caused by localized stress concentration.

[0075] Results of liquid retention performance test: Figure 11 The UV-Vis absorption spectrum is shown in the controlled release test of apricot extract capsules containing the dye Rhodamine B. Figure 12 The figure shows the diffusion of the apricot extract capsules prepared in Example 1. The scale bar in the figure is 4 mm. Figure 12 (a) shows the diffusion situation on the first day, and (b) shows the diffusion situation on the seventh day. For example... Figure 11 , 12As shown, Rhodamine B was added to the core layer, and the dye diffusion of apricot extract capsules was observed after 1 day and 7 days in deionized water. The UV absorption spectrum of Rhodamine B in deionized water was also tested. The deionized water remained colorless and transparent on both the first and seventh days. Combined with the 7-day UV absorption spectrum test, Rhodamine B was not detected in the deionized water. The results indicate that the capsules can effectively block the diffusion of the internal solution and have excellent liquid retention properties.

[0076] In summary, this invention successfully prepared apricot extract capsules with high molding yield and excellent structural stability by adding viscosity and density regulators to the core material of millimeter-sized apricot extract capsules. Experiments determined that when the PVA concentration in the core layer was 2% and the NaCl concentration was 2%, the concentricity, mechanical strength, and strength deviation of the capsules all reached optimal levels. When the capsules prepared with these optimal parameters were applied to cigarette filters, they could continuously and effectively supplement the mainstream smoke with apricot aroma under external force, significantly improving the comfort and sweetness of cigarette smoking, demonstrating extremely high practical value.

[0077] Experimental results show that when 2% viscosity modifier (such as polyvinyl alcohol PVA) and 2% density modifier (such as NaCl) are added to apricot extract, the concentricity of the prepared capsules can reach 90.01%, the bursting strength is 12.53 N, and there is no leakage within 7 days. The method provided by this invention can effectively improve the concentricity and bursting strength of apricot extract capsules, reduce the deviation of shell thickness and strength, significantly improve the capsule forming rate, and enhance structural stability, providing reliable technical support for the application of complex flavor system capsules in the cigarette industry.

[0078] The above description is merely a preferred embodiment of this application and an explanation of the technical principles employed. Those skilled in the art should understand that the scope of the invention involved in this application is not limited to technical solutions formed by specific combinations of the above-described technical features, but should also cover other technical solutions formed by arbitrary combinations of the above-described technical features or their equivalents without departing from the inventive concept. For example, technical solutions formed by substituting the above features with (but not limited to) technical features with similar functions disclosed in this application.

[0079] It should be understood that the sequence number of each step in the invention and embodiments of the present invention does not absolutely imply the order of execution. The execution order of each process should be determined by its function and internal logic, and should not constitute any limitation on the implementation process of the embodiments of the present invention.

Claims

1. A dried apricot extract capsule prepared using a photocured microcapsule molding technique, characterized by, The capsule comprises: Core material: is a composite aqueous solution of dried apricot extract, formulated from dried apricot extract, food-grade core material viscosity modifier, and food-grade core material density modifier; wherein, the mass fraction of the viscosity modifier is 0.5%-2% of the core material mass, and the mass fraction of the density modifier is 0.5%-2% of the core material mass; Wall material: a polymer film formed by photocuring of a photocurable resin.

2. The dried apricot extract capsule according to claim 1, characterized by, The photocurable resin is a compound resin of one or more of the following resins: polyurethane acrylic resin and its modified resin, epoxy acrylic resin and its modified resin, polyester acrylic resin and its modified resin.

3. The dried apricot extract capsule according to claim 1, characterized by: The viscosity modifier is a water-soluble polymer material, including one or more of polyvinyl alcohol, carboxymethyl cellulose, and polyvinylpyrrolidone.

4. The dried apricot extract capsule according to claim 1, characterized by: The density regulator is an inorganic salt, including one or more of sodium chloride, calcium chloride, magnesium chloride, and zinc chloride.

5. The apricot extract capsule according to claim 1, characterized in that: The viscosity modifier has a mass fraction of 2% of the core material mass, and the density modifier has a mass fraction of 2% of the core material mass.

6. A cigarette filter, characterized in that: Includes apricot extract capsules as described in any one of claims 1-5.

7. A method for preparing apricot extract capsules, characterized in that, The method includes the following steps: A mixed core material solution containing a food-grade viscosity modifier, a food-grade density modifier, and an apricot extract solution is prepared; the viscosity modifier has a mass fraction of 0.5%-2% of the core material mass, and the density modifier has a mass fraction of 0.5%-2% of the core material mass. Prepare a photocurable resin wall material solution containing sheet-like nanofillers; Based on photocurable microcapsule molding technology, millimeter-sized apricot extract capsules were prepared using a prepared photocurable resin wall material solution as the wall material fluid and a prepared mixed core material solution as the core material fluid.

8. The method for preparing apricot extract capsules according to claim 7, characterized in that, The photocurable resin is a compound resin of one or more of the following resins: polyurethane acrylic resin and its modified resin, epoxy acrylic resin and its modified resin, polyester acrylic resin and its modified resin.

9. The method for preparing apricot extract capsules according to claim 7, characterized in that: The viscosity modifier is a water-soluble polymer material, including one or more of polyvinyl alcohol, carboxymethyl cellulose, and polyvinylpyrrolidone; The density regulator is an inorganic salt, including one or more of sodium chloride, calcium chloride, magnesium chloride, and zinc chloride.

10. The method for preparing apricot extract capsules according to claim 7, characterized in that: The viscosity modifier has a mass fraction of 2% of the core material mass, and the density modifier has a mass fraction of 2% of the core material mass.

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