A gradient-thickness thick slurry method sheet compound heating cigarette core material and a preparation method and application thereof

Abstract

This application provides a gradient thickness slurry-processed sheet composite heated cigarette core material, its preparation method, and its application. The preparation method includes the following steps: mixing natural tobacco shreds with gradient thickness slurry-processed sheet shreds to obtain a disordered mixed core material; or arranging at least two types of gradient thickness slurry-processed sheet shreds in an orderly layered manner to obtain an ordered mixed core material; the gradient thickness slurry-processed sheet shreds are selected from at least two combinations of thin slurry-processed sheet shreds, medium-thick slurry-processed sheet shreds, or thick slurry-processed sheet shreds. The disordered mixed core material provided by this application can significantly improve the aerosol loading capacity of tobacco products, widen the smoke-generating window, increase the effective number of puffs, and comprehensively enhance sensory quality; the ordered mixed core material constructs directional heat conduction channels, with thicker materials storing heat and maintaining uniform temperature, preventing local overheating and insertion / removal deformation, and thinner materials generating smoke efficiently, optimizing the heat and mass transfer path, effectively extending the smoke-generating duration and release uniformity, and optimizing sensory quality.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application belongs to the technical field of heated non-combustible cigarette products, specifically relating to a gradient thickness slurry-based composite heated cigarette core material, its preparation method, and its application. Background Technology

[0002] Heated cigarettes rely on an external heat source to heat the filler material to 250-350℃, releasing nicotine aerosol for consumers to inhale. The filler material is the core component that determines the stability of the smoke, the amount of smoke produced, and the sensory quality. Currently, heated cigarette fillers are mainly divided into three categories: pure natural tobacco, single-thickness thick sheet tobacco, and a blend of rolled sheet tobacco and tobacco. Each has its own technical shortcomings that are difficult to balance. 1) Pure natural tobacco: Natural tobacco cells have intact hydrophobic barriers and poor internal pore permeability, resulting in low and unevenly distributed aerosol-forming agents (glycerol, propylene glycol). During storage, the smoke-generating agents are prone to migration and volatilization, leading to rapid decay of smoke output in the cigarette, short shelf life, and easy yellowing of the packaging. Natural tobacco has no thermal conductivity gradient, resulting in a concentrated burst of aroma in the first few puffs, followed by a sharp drop in smoke output in the latter half. The concentration and strength of the smoke fluctuate greatly with each puff, resulting in fewer stable puffs.

[0003] 2) Single-thickness thick slurry sheet: Thin sheets have fast heat transfer and rapid aerosol release in the early stages, but the total smoke-generating agent load is low, resulting in weak smoke generation in the middle stages of vaping; Thick sheets have a dense fiber matrix and low air permeability, resulting in higher draw resistance, dull smoke in the early stages, and delayed aroma release, failing to balance the overall vaping experience. Single-thickness sheets lack aroma release gradients, leading to significant differences in smoke quality with each puff.

[0004] 3) Roll-pressed sheets + natural tobacco blend: Roll-pressed sheets have poor fiber homogeneity and random pore distribution, and the aerosol forming agent has limited penetration depth; the heating process is prone to local overheating, producing burnt and burnt odors, and the aerosol slow-release effect is far lower than that of slurry-processed sheets.

[0005] 4) Existing compounding solutions cannot simultaneously solve the two major pain points of "poor uniformity of each puff" and "short duration of suction".

[0006] Therefore, the existing technology has the following core bottlenecks: lack of complementary design; no gradient buffer in the thermal decomposition release curve of natural tobacco and single sheet material; high RSD (relative standard deviation) of smoke indicators (nicotine, glycerol, tar) per puff; narrow stable smoke window; and significant sensory difference during continuous smoking.

[0007] CN214071751U discloses an ordered heated non-combustible cigarette with a mixture of tobacco flakes and thin sheets, comprising a filter section and a tobacco section. The tobacco section contains tobacco flakes and long tobacco shreds. The thin tobacco flakes extend from one end of the tobacco section to the other, arranged in an orderly manner. The long tobacco shreds are wrapped around the thin tobacco flakes, generally aligned with their direction. This ordered heated non-combustible cigarette with a mixture of tobacco flakes and thin sheets improves the smoking experience and meets consumer demands. Furthermore, because the internal tobacco flakes are relatively orderly and contain no broken tobacco shreds, there is no problem with broken tobacco falling or ash falling during heating, thus enhancing the consumer experience.

[0008] CN109567258A discloses a heated tobacco module and its preparation method. The heated tobacco module includes a heat-conducting tobacco structure coiled around the central axis of the module. This structure consists of alternating heat-conducting substrates and tobacco sheets. The heat-conducting substrate is made by wet papermaking and high-pressure pressing of raw materials including plant fibers, metal powder, and binders. This heated tobacco module, by combining the heat-conducting substrate with the tobacco sheets, utilizes the high thermal conductivity of the substrate to transfer heat more quickly and evenly to the tobacco sheets, significantly improving the aroma concentration and fullness of the heated tobacco. Furthermore, this method is applicable to both centrally heated and peripherally heated heated tobacco products.

[0009] CN110959893A discloses a tobacco sheet with added functional flavoring ingredients and a heated tobacco product using the same tobacco sheet. The tobacco sheet contains tobacco-flavored functional flavoring ingredients added in an amount of 10-60%. The tobacco-flavored functional flavoring ingredients are obtained by solvent extraction and filtration after a high-pressure, low-temperature reaction of tobacco under inert conditions; or by immersing tobacco in a solvent, followed by a high-pressure, low-temperature reaction under inert conditions, and then extraction and filtration; or by soaking tobacco in a solvent for 15-30 seconds, followed by a high-pressure, low-temperature reaction under inert conditions, and then solvent extraction and filtration. This invention achieves a high-pressure, low-temperature reaction at 100-200℃, resulting in a product with a strong natural tobacco aroma, moderate char aroma, light raw tobacco odor, and good compatibility, meeting the main aroma requirements of heated tobacco products.

[0010] However, the above methods have failed to effectively solve the problems of narrow smoke-generating windows and significant sensory differences during continuous inhalation in existing products, resulting in defects such as high RSD of the smoke, large sensory differences between the front and rear sections, and low upper limit of aerosol load. Therefore, how to provide a heated cigarette core with a wide smoke-generating window, good uniformity, and good sensory effects has become an urgent problem to be solved. Summary of the Invention

[0011] To address the shortcomings of existing technologies, the purpose of this application is to provide a gradient thickness slurry-based composite heated cigarette core material, its preparation method, and its application. Compared to existing products, the product provided in this application has significantly improved aerosol loading capacity, controllable draw resistance, strong processing adaptability, a wide and uniform smoke emission window, comprehensively optimized sensory quality, and good process compatibility, making it suitable for both center-heated and peripheral-heated cigarette devices.

[0012] To achieve this objective, the present application adopts the following technical solution: In a first aspect, this application provides a method for preparing a gradient thickness slurry-based composite heated cigarette core material, the method comprising the following steps: Natural tobacco shreds are mixed with gradient thickness slurry sheet shreds to obtain the gradient thickness slurry sheet composite heated cigarette core material, which is a disordered mixture type. Alternatively, at least two types of gradient thickness slurry sheet filaments can be arranged in an orderly layered manner to obtain the gradient thickness slurry sheet composite heated cigarette core material, wherein the gradient thickness slurry sheet composite heated cigarette core material is an orderly mixed type; The gradient thickness slurry sheet yarn is selected from at least two of the following: thin slurry sheet yarn, medium-thick slurry sheet yarn, or thick slurry sheet yarn.

[0013] The above method employs a synergistic blend of thin sheets of varying thicknesses using a slurry-based method. The thin sheets are responsible for rapid and uniform aroma release in the early stages, as well as clearing airflow and balancing draw resistance. The medium-thick and thick sheets, with their high aerosol-forming agent load and large heat capacity, provide long-lasting, sustained release to support the second half of the smoke production, forming a "rapid release + sustained release" gradient release curve. This effectively overcomes the problems of initial strong and subsequent weak aerosol release, as well as the discontinuity in aerosol release, that often occur with pure tobacco or single-thickness slurry-based sheets. It reduces fluctuations in smoke concentration and strength with each puff, increases the overall glycerol / polyol load capacity of the tobacco core, prolongs the stable smoke production time, improves drowsiness, balances the internal porosity and thermal conductivity of the tobacco core, reduces burnt and stale smells caused by localized overheating, and enhances the smoothness and aftertaste throughout the entire drowsing process. While preserving the original aroma of natural tobacco, it achieves continuous and stable flavor output in the early, middle, and late stages. Compared to existing products, it significantly improves aerosol loading capacity, offers controllable draw resistance, strong processing adaptability, a wide and uniform smoke production window, comprehensively optimizes sensory quality, and has good process compatibility.

[0014] The disordered mixed core material provided in this application can significantly improve the aerosol loading capacity of tobacco products, widen the smoke generation window, increase the effective number of puffs, and comprehensively enhance sensory quality; the ordered mixed core material has a directional heat conduction channel built inside, the thick type stores heat and evenly heats up, prevents local overheating and insertion deformation, and the thin type generates smoke efficiently, optimizing the heat and mass transfer path, effectively extending the smoke generation duration and release uniformity, and improving sensory quality.

[0015] In some embodiments, the gradient thickness slurry-processed sheet composite heated cigarette core material is a disordered mixture, and the mass ratio of the natural tobacco shreds to the gradient thickness slurry-processed sheet shreds is (20-80):(30-80), preferably (30-60):(40-70).

[0016] The mass ratio of the thin slurry-processed sheet yarn, the medium-thick slurry-processed sheet yarn, and the thick slurry-processed sheet yarn is (0-40):(0-40):(0-60), and at least two of the ratios are not 0.

[0017] In some embodiments, the gradient thickness thick paste composite heated cigarette core material is an ordered mixture, and the mass ratio of the thin thick paste sheet, the medium-thick thick paste sheet, and the thick thick paste sheet is (5-60):(10-70):(10-60), preferably (20-50):(30-50):(15-30).

[0018] The above ratio balances the natural aroma of tobacco with a gradual release effect, avoiding the drawbacks of too high a proportion of thin sheets diluting the natural aroma of tobacco or too low a proportion having no improvement effect.

[0019] In some embodiments, in the ordered layered arrangement, the thickness of the filaments arranged around the heating element of the smoke appliance is greater than the thickness of the filaments arranged in other positions in the radial direction.

[0020] For ordered hybrid products, directional heat conduction channels are constructed through the orderly layered arrangement of thin sheets of varying thicknesses. The thicker sheets are placed close to the heating element (center or periphery), utilizing their high specific heat capacity and high thermal conductivity as a "heat-conducting buffer layer," while the thinner sheets are placed outside as a "high-efficiency smoke-generating layer." The thicker sheets have a large mass per unit volume and a high heat capacity. In the initial heating stage, they can absorb and store a large amount of heat energy, preventing all heat from being instantly transferred to the smoke-generating agent, thus avoiding localized overheating. Simultaneously, the thicker sheets have better rigidity, effectively preventing the core material from collapsing or deforming when the heating pins are inserted or removed, ensuring the stability of the heating gap. Separated from the heating element by the thicker sheets, the heating process is more gradual, allowing the smoke-generating agent and flavorings loaded on them to vaporize more evenly and thoroughly, forming a fine aerosol that provides rich aroma and satisfaction.

[0021] In some embodiments, the thickness of the thin slurry sheet filament is 0.15-0.24 mm, such as 0.15 mm, 0.16 mm, 0.17 mm, 0.18 mm, 0.19 mm, 0.2 mm, 0.21 mm, 0.22 mm, 0.23 mm or 0.24 mm, but is not limited to the values ​​listed above. Other unlisted values ​​within the above range are also applicable.

[0022] Thin-film filaments produced by the thick slurry method have the advantage of fast heat transfer rate. In the low-temperature range, they preferentially release light volatile aromas and glycerin, smoothing out the peak smoke in the first few puffs, reducing harshness and irritation, and balancing the initial concentration.

[0023] In some embodiments, the thickness of the medium-thickness slurry-processed thin sheet filament is 0.25-0.34 mm, such as 0.25 mm, 0.26 mm, 0.27 mm, 0.28 mm, 0.29 mm, 0.3 mm, 0.31 mm, 0.32 mm, 0.33 mm, or 0.34 mm, but is not limited to the values ​​listed above. Other unlisted values ​​within the above range are also applicable.

[0024] In some embodiments, the thickness of the thick slurry sheet filament is 0.35-0.45 mm, such as 0.35 mm, 0.36 mm, 0.37 mm, 0.38 mm, 0.39 mm, 0.4 mm, 0.41 mm, 0.42 mm, 0.43 mm, 0.44 mm, or 0.45 mm, but is not limited to the values ​​listed above. Other unlisted values ​​within the above range are also applicable.

[0025] Medium-thickness and thick-thickness slurry-process thin-film fiber matrixes have large volumes and high storage of glycerol and macromolecular aroma compounds; the heating rate is slow, and aerosols are released continuously and stably, filling the smoke gap in the middle and late stages of heating and extending the stable suction window.

[0026] The thin films used in this application are prepared by the slurry method. Those skilled in the art can choose any conventional slurry method in the field for preparation, and this application does not impose too many restrictions on this.

[0027] For example, the gradient thickness slurry sheet filament is prepared by a method comprising the following steps: Tobacco raw material powder is mixed with wood pulp fiber, adhesive, smoking agent and water to obtain a thick paste, which is then cast, dried and slit to obtain the gradient thickness thick paste sheet.

[0028] In some embodiments, the gradient thickness slurry sheet is a thin slurry sheet, the wood pulp fiber dissociation degree is 80-88°SR, the tobacco raw material powder passes through a 120-mesh sieve, the casting process uses a slanted scraper with a gap of 0.25-0.55mm, and the drying process uses instantaneous high-temperature hot air drying with a surface temperature of 100-120℃, an air pressure of 800-1200Pa, and a time of 0.5-1.5min.

[0029] The above method uses highly dissociated finely ground wood pulp fibers and small-particle-size tobacco powder to formulate a thick slurry, which improves the uniformity of slurry flow and film formation. Micron-level high-precision slit coating / scraper casting is used to strictly control the thickness difference across the entire width to ≤0.02mm. After molding, the surface is dried with instantaneous high-temperature hot air to quickly remove surface moisture and short-term setting to prevent sticking to the roller, achieving "thin but not broken" and avoiding cracking of the thin layer during drying.

[0030] In some embodiments, the gradient thickness slurry sheet yarn is a medium-thickness slurry sheet yarn, the degree of dissociation of the wood pulp fiber is 65-75°SR, the casting adopts a wet double-layer co-casting method, the gap between the scrapers of each layer is independently 0.25-0.50 mm, and the drying adopts a three-stage stepped drying method, specifically drying at 60-70℃ for 5-8 min, then raising the temperature to 85-100℃ for 3-5 min, and finally lowering the temperature to 55-65℃ for 8-12 min.

[0031] The above method uses standard dissociation degree wood pulp fiber and wet multi-layer co-cast molding: the second layer is directly coated when the first layer of pulp is not completely dry, and an interpenetrating fiber network is formed between the layers to eliminate the defects of dry bonding and delamination; a three-stage step drying curve is adopted, combined with infrared + hot air composite drying to avoid surface skinning and internal moisture retention, so as to achieve uniform drying without dry-wet difference.

[0032] In some embodiments, the gradient thickness slurry sheet is a thick slurry sheet, the wood pulp fiber dissociation degree is 55-65°SR, the tobacco raw material powder passes through a 100-mesh sieve, the casting process employs 3-4 thin-layer wet-dry layer casting, the single-layer forming dry thickness is controlled at 0.12-0.20 mm, and each layer is pre-dried to a moisture content of 15-20% after coating. If over-drying occurs, 0.5-1% of binder (sodium carboxymethyl cellulose) is sprayed to maintain a moist state; drying is performed using microwave hot air assisted slow uniform temperature drying, with a microwave power density of 0.3-1.0 W / g, a hot air assisted temperature of 50-70℃, and a drying time of 20-40 min; after drying, constant temperature and humidity conditioning is performed, with a conditioning temperature of 25-30℃, a relative humidity of 60-65%, and a time of 20-30 h.

[0033] The above method employs multiple thin-layer wet-dry layered casting, with each layer pre-dried after coating. A small amount of water-retaining adhesive (such as carboxymethyl cellulose CMC) is sprayed between layers to enhance interlayer bonding strength. Microwave-assisted slow and uniform temperature drying is used, with microwave bulk heating removing moisture from the inside out to eliminate moisture gradients in the thickness direction. After drying, constant temperature and humidity conditioning (temperature 20-24℃, relative humidity 55-65%, time 20-30h) is applied to balance the internal stress of the material, preventing cracking during cutting and rolling, thus achieving "through without cracking".

[0034] In some embodiments, the shredded width of the natural tobacco shreds and the gradient thickness slurry sheet shreds are independently 0.8-1.2 mm, such as 0.8 mm, 0.9 mm, 1 mm, 1.1 mm or 1.2 mm, but not limited to the values ​​listed above. Other unlisted values ​​within the above range are also applicable.

[0035] The specific shredding width mentioned above can prevent material mixing and stratification, local material aggregation, and ensure uniform distribution of material in the axial and radial directions of the cigarette core.

[0036] In some embodiments, the natural tobacco shreds are further balanced to a moisture content of 10-13% before blending, such as 10%, 10.5%, 11%, 11.5%, 12%, 12.5%, or 13%, but not limited to the values ​​listed above. Other unlisted values ​​within the above range are also applicable.

[0037] In some embodiments, the moisture content of the gradient thickness slurry-based composite heated cigarette core material is 11-14%, such as 11%, 11.5%, 12%, 12.5%, 13%, 13.5%, or 14%, but is not limited to the values ​​listed above. Other unlisted values ​​within the above range are also applicable.

[0038] Secondly, this application provides a gradient thickness slurry-based composite heated cigarette core material prepared by the preparation method described above.

[0039] Thirdly, this application also provides the application of the gradient thickness slurry-based composite heated cigarette core material as described above in the preparation of heated cigarette cartridges and / or cigarette sticks.

[0040] Compared with the prior art, this application has the following beneficial effects: This application provides a gradient-thickness slurry-based composite heated cigarette core material. By using slurry-based sheets of different thicknesses in a synergistic compounding process, the thin sheets are responsible for rapid and uniform aroma release in the early stage and for clearing airflow to balance the draw resistance; the medium-thick and thick sheets have a high load of aerosol forming agent and a large heat capacity, providing long-lasting slow release to support the second half of the smoke production, forming a "fast release + slow release" gradient release curve. This effectively overcomes the problems of strong initial and weak final aroma and aerosol release discontinuity in pure tobacco or single-thickness slurry-based sheets, reduces the concentration and strength fluctuations of each puff, increases the overall glycerol / polyol load capacity of the cigarette core, prolongs the stable smoke production time, improves the continuous smoking experience, balances the internal porosity and thermal conductivity of the cigarette core, reduces the burnt and stale smell caused by local overheating, and improves the smoothness and aftertaste of the entire smoking process. The disordered blended core material, while preserving the original aroma of natural tobacco, achieves continuous and stable flavor output in the initial, middle, and final stages. Compared to existing tobacco-based core materials, it significantly improves aerosol loading capacity, offers controllable draw resistance, strong processing adaptability, a wide and uniform smoke-generating window, and comprehensively enhances sensory quality. The ordered blended core material, through a combination of thick and thin sections, constructs directional heat conduction channels. The thicker sections retain heat and provide uniform temperature, preventing localized overheating and insertion / removal deformation, while the thinner sections receive uniform heating and efficiently generate smoke. This optimizes the heat and mass transfer path, effectively extending the smoke-generating duration and improving release uniformity, thus enhancing sensory quality. Specifically, it includes: Innovative gradient sustained-release structure: For the first time, multiple different thickness thick slurry sheets are synergistically compounded, and the differences in heat transfer, liquid carrying and aroma release rates are used to construct a stepped release curve, simultaneously solving the two major industry pain points of uniformity and sustainability.

[0041] The aerosol loading capacity is significantly improved: the thick slurry homogeneous fiber network can carry a high proportion of glycerol, and the combination of dual thicknesses further increases the total smoke-generating agent capacity of the system, significantly extending the stable inhalation time.

[0042] Constructing directional heat conduction channels: The ordered mixed core material places the thick sheet close to the heating element (center or periphery), utilizing its high specific heat capacity and high thermal conductivity as a "heat-conducting buffer layer" to store heat evenly and prevent local overheating and insertion / removal deformation. The thin sheet is placed on the outer side for gentle and uniform heating, serving as a "high-efficiency smoke-generating layer" to allow the smoke-generating agent and fragrance to fully vaporize, forming a fine aerosol and rich aroma, effectively extending the smoke generation duration and ensuring uniform release.

[0043] Sensory quality is comprehensively optimized: The gradient heat conduction structure reduces local overheating, significantly reducing burnt and harsh aromas; the fluctuation of each puff of smoke is greatly reduced, and the disordered blend type balances the natural aroma of tobacco with a smooth aerosol. The ordered blend type utilizes thick sheets close to the heating element to retain heat evenly, ensuring that the thin sheets are heated gently and evenly, allowing the smoke-generating agent and flavoring to fully vaporize, forming a delicate aerosol and rich aroma, thus comprehensively enhancing sensory quality.

[0044] Improved material storage stability: The multi-thickness composite fiber network binds the aerosol forming agent, reducing the migration and volatilization rate of the smoke-generating agent during storage. This results in reduced yellowing of cigarettes during long-term storage and a significant decrease in the rate of smoke reduction, thus extending the product's shelf life. Detailed Implementation

[0045] To further illustrate the technical means and effects adopted in this application, the following describes the technical solution of this application in conjunction with preferred embodiments, but this application is not limited to the scope of the embodiments.

[0046] In the following examples, the wood pulp fiber was purchased from Shanghai Yikuo Trading Co., Ltd.; Sodium carboxymethyl cellulose was purchased from Hengda Hydrocolloids Taizhou Co., Ltd. Glycerin was purchased from Tyco Brown Chemical (Zhangjiagang) Co., Ltd.

[0047] Preparation Example 1 This preparation example provides a gradient thickness slurry method for preparing thin sheet fibers, as follows: All thin sheet shreds undergo the following unified pre-processing steps: Tobacco leaves are pulverized and divided into three portions; two portions are sieved through a 100-mesh sieve, and one portion through a 120-mesh sieve. Then, tobacco powder and pulp are mixed at a 1:5 mass ratio to obtain tobacco pulp. The pulp is obtained by mixing wood pulp fiber, binder, smoking agent, and deionized water in a mass ratio of 2:7:20:100. The binder is a combination of sodium alginate and chitosan in a 1:3 mass ratio, and the smoking agent is a combination of erythritol and polyethylene glycol in a 1:1 mass ratio. The tobacco pulp is then cast, dried, slit, and cut into thin sheets. The differentiated forming and drying processes for the three types of thin sheets are as follows: (1) Thin film preparation process using the slurry method The thick paste is made by blending highly dissociated fine wood pulp fiber (dissociation degree between 80-88°SR) and small-particle tobacco powder (passed through a 120-mesh sieve). A high-precision inclined scraper with a scraper gap of 0.4 mm is used. After molding, the surface is dried instantly with high-temperature hot air at a wind pressure of 1000Pa, a hot air temperature of 110℃, and a time of 1 minute.

[0048] (2) Medium-thickness slurry method for preparing thin films Standard dissociation degree wood pulp fiber (dissociation degree between 65-75°SR) is used, and tobacco powder is passed through a 100-mesh sieve. A wet double-layer co-cast molding process with a scraper gap of 0.35 mm is adopted: the second layer is directly coated while the first layer of pulp is not completely dry; a three-stage step drying curve is adopted: low temperature pre-drying at 65℃ for 7 minutes → medium temperature setting at 95℃ for 4 minutes → low temperature rehydration at 60℃ for 10 minutes.

[0049] (3) Thick slurry method for preparing thin films The wood pulp fibers with a dissociation degree between 55-65°SR are used, and the smoke powder is passed through a 100-mesh sieve. The gap between each layer of the scraper is 0.3 mm. Multiple (four) thin-layer wet-dry combined layer casting is carried out. The thickness of a single layer is controlled between 0.12-0.20 mm. After each layer is coated, it is pre-dried to a moisture content of 15-20%. If over-drying occurs, a 1% sodium carboxymethyl cellulose aqueous solution is sprayed between layers to keep it moist. Microwave hot air assisted slow uniform temperature drying is used (microwave power density 0.8W / g), hot air assisted temperature is 60℃, drying time is 30 minutes. After drying, it is constant temperature and humidity conditioning for 24 hours (temperature 30℃, relative humidity 60%) to balance internal and external stress.

[0050] Finally, the thin sheets were cut into the following thicknesses: 0.21mm thick thin sheets, 0.14mm thick thin sheets, 0.28mm thick medium-thick sheets, 0.30mm thick medium-thick sheets, and 0.40mm thick thick sheets. All sheets were cut to a uniform width of 1mm. Preparation Example 2 This preparation example provides a gradient thickness slurry method for preparing thin sheet filaments. Except for the three types of sheet forming and drying processes, which are all based on the thick slurry method for preparing sheet filaments in Preparation Example 1, and are adjusted to single-layer casting and a scraper gap of 0.7 mm, the rest are the same as in Preparation Example 1.

[0051] In the following examples, the thin filaments used in Examples 1-4 and Comparative Examples 1-3 were all from Preparation Example 1, and the thin filaments used in Example 5 were all from Preparation Example 2.

[0052] Example 1 This embodiment provides a gradient thickness slurry-based composite heated cigarette core material (disorderly mixed type), prepared by the following method: The flue-cured tobacco leaves are cut into 1mm wide strips, and the moisture content is balanced to between 10% and 13%. Then, the strips are added to a three-dimensional mixer in a ratio of 40 parts flue-cured tobacco leaf strips, 20 parts medium-thickness thick paste thin sheet strips (0.28mm), and 40 parts thickness thick paste thin sheet strips (0.40mm). The mixture is uniformly mixed in a closed drum for 15 minutes to balance the moisture content to 12.5%, thus obtaining the heated cigarette core material. The material is tested and found to have no localized thin sheet accumulation or tobacco shred agglomeration.

[0053] The obtained heated cigarette core material is filled into the smoke-generating section, and then rolled with a hollow support section and an acetate fiber section in sequence to obtain the finished heated cigarette (7.25 mm in diameter, with the three sections having lengths of 12 mm, 23 mm and 10 mm respectively).

[0054] Example 2 This embodiment provides a gradient thickness slurry-based composite heated cigarette core material (disorderly mixed type), prepared by the following method: The flue-cured tobacco leaves are cut into 1mm wide strips, and the moisture content is balanced to between 10% and 13%. Then, the strips are added to a three-dimensional mixer in the following proportions: 40 parts of flue-cured tobacco leaf strips, 22 parts of thin thick paste sheet strips (0.14mm), 23 parts of medium-thick thick paste sheet strips (0.30mm), and 15 parts of thick thick paste sheet strips (0.40mm). The mixture is uniformly mixed in a closed drum for 15 minutes until the moisture content is balanced to 12.5%, thus obtaining the heated cigarette core material. The material is tested and found to have no localized thin sheet accumulation or tobacco shred agglomeration.

[0055] The obtained heated cigarette core material is filled into the smoke-generating section, and then rolled with a hollow support section and an acetate fiber section in sequence to obtain the finished heated cigarette (7.25 mm in diameter, with the three sections having lengths of 12 mm, 23 mm and 10 mm respectively).

[0056] Example 3 This embodiment provides a gradient thickness slurry-based composite heated cigarette core material (orderly mixed type), prepared by the following method: Thirty parts of thin slurry sheet (0.21 mm), 40 parts of medium-thick slurry sheet (0.28 mm), and 30 parts of thick slurry sheet (0.40 mm) were arranged radially from the outside to the inside in the order of medium-thick (20 parts), thin (30 parts), medium-thick (20 parts), and thick (30 parts) to the outside. The moisture content was balanced to 13% to obtain the heated cigarette core material. The material was tested and found to have no localized thin sheet enrichment and no tobacco shred agglomeration.

[0057] The obtained heated cigarette core material is filled into the smoke-generating section, and then rolled with a hollow support section and an acetate fiber section in sequence to obtain the finished heated cigarette (7.25 mm in diameter, with the three sections having lengths of 12 mm, 23 mm and 10 mm respectively).

[0058] Example 4 This embodiment provides a gradient thickness slurry-based composite heated cigarette core material (orderly mixed type), prepared by the following method: 60 parts of medium-thickness thick paste sheet filaments (0.28 mm) and 40 parts of thickness thick paste sheet filaments (0.40 mm) were arranged in an orderly layered manner from the outside to the inside along the radial direction, in the order of medium-thickness (60 parts) and thickness (40 parts), and the moisture content was balanced to 13% to obtain the heated cigarette core material; the material was tested and found to have no local thin sheet enrichment and no tobacco filament agglomeration.

[0059] The obtained heated cigarette core material is filled into the smoke-generating section, and then rolled with a hollow support section and an acetate fiber section in sequence to obtain the finished heated cigarette (7.25 mm in diameter, with the three sections having lengths of 12 mm, 23 mm and 10 mm respectively).

[0060] Example 5 This embodiment provides a gradient thickness slurry method for compound heating cigarette core material (ordered mixed type). Except for the disordered arrangement of the three types of thin sheet filaments in the radial direction, the preparation method is the same as that in Example 3.

[0061] Example 6 This embodiment provides a gradient thickness slurry method for compound heating cigarette core material (ordered mixing type). Except for the fact that the sheet filaments are all from preparation example 2, the preparation method is the same as that in example 3.

[0062] Comparative Example 1 This comparative example provides a heated cigarette core material (pure natural tobacco core), and the preparation method is as follows: The flue-cured tobacco leaves are cut into 1mm wide strips, and the moisture content is balanced to between 10% and 13% to obtain the heated cigarette core material; the material is tested to ensure that there is no agglomeration of tobacco shreds.

[0063] The obtained heated cigarette core material is filled into the smoke-generating section, and then rolled with a hollow support section and an acetate fiber section in sequence to obtain the finished heated cigarette (7.25 mm in diameter, with the three sections having lengths of 12 mm, 23 mm and 10 mm respectively).

[0064] Comparative Example 2 This comparative example provides a heated cigarette core material (single thin, thick slurry-processed thin sheet cigarette core), prepared by the following method: One hundred portions of thin, thick slurry-processed sheet filaments (0.16 mm) were arranged to obtain the heated cigarette core material; the material was tested and found to have no localized sheet enrichment and no tobacco filament agglomeration.

[0065] The obtained heated cigarette core material is filled into the smoke-generating section, and then rolled with a hollow support section and an acetate fiber section in sequence to obtain the finished heated cigarette (7.25 mm in diameter, with the three sections having lengths of 12 mm, 23 mm and 10 mm respectively).

[0066] Comparative Example 3 This comparative example provides a heated cigarette core material (single medium-thickness thick slurry method thin sheet cigarette core), and the preparation method is as follows: One hundred portions of medium-thickness slurry-process thin sheet filaments (0.28 mm) were arranged to obtain the heated cigarette core material; the material was tested and found to have no localized thin sheet enrichment and no tobacco filament agglomeration.

[0067] The obtained heated cigarette core material is filled into the smoke-generating section, and then rolled with a hollow support section and an acetate fiber section in sequence to obtain the finished heated cigarette (7.25 mm in diameter, with the three sections having lengths of 12 mm, 23 mm and 10 mm respectively).

[0068] Comparative Example 4 This comparative example provides a heated cigarette core material (single thick slurry-process thin sheet cigarette core), prepared by the following method: One hundred portions of thick slurry-processed thin sheet filaments (0.40 mm) were arranged to obtain the heated cigarette core material; the material was tested and found to have no localized thin sheet enrichment and no tobacco filament agglomeration.

[0069] The obtained heated cigarette core material is filled into the smoke-generating section, and then rolled with a hollow support section and an acetate fiber section in sequence to obtain the finished heated cigarette (7.25 mm in diameter, with the three sections having lengths of 12 mm, 23 mm and 10 mm respectively).

[0070] Effect test: The finished heated cigarettes made from the heated cigarette core materials provided in Examples 1-6 and Comparative Examples 1-4 were subjected to sensory testing using a central heating device. Five experts evaluated the finished heated cigarettes and scored them, and the average value (rounded down) was calculated. The scoring criteria are as follows: The results are as follows: The data above shows that this application, by employing a differentiated thickness slurry method for synergistic compounding of thin sheets and utilizing differences in heat transfer, liquid carrying capacity, and aroma release rate to construct a stepped release curve, effectively improves aerosol loading capacity, significantly extends stable smoking time, and comprehensively optimizes sensory quality. The fluctuation of smoke per puff is greatly reduced, with less irritation, fewer impurities, high smoking uniformity, and good flavor harmony. Furthermore, by adopting a specific arrangement, it effectively improves the continuous smoke generation time and release uniformity of the ordered mixed heated cigarette core material, resulting in comprehensive optimization of sensory quality.

[0071] The applicant declares that this application illustrates the gradient thickness slurry-based composite heated cigarette core material, its preparation method, and its application through the above embodiments. However, this application is not limited to the above embodiments, meaning that this application does not necessarily rely on the above embodiments for implementation. Those skilled in the art should understand that any improvements to this application, equivalent substitutions of raw materials, additions of auxiliary components, and selection of specific methods, etc., all fall within the protection and disclosure scope of this application.

[0072] The preferred embodiments of this application have been described in detail above. However, this application is not limited to the specific details of the above embodiments. Within the scope of the technical concept of this application, various simple modifications can be made to the technical solution of this application, and these simple modifications all fall within the protection scope of this application.

[0073] It should also be noted that the various specific technical features described in the above embodiments can be combined in any suitable manner without contradiction. In order to avoid unnecessary repetition, this application will not describe the various possible combinations separately.

Claims

1. A method for preparing a gradient-thickness thick- slurry method sheet compounded heating cigarette core material, characterized in that, The preparation method includes the following steps: Natural tobacco shreds are mixed with gradient thickness slurry sheet shreds to obtain the gradient thickness slurry sheet composite heated cigarette core material, which is a disordered mixture type. Alternatively, at least two types of gradient thickness slurry sheet filaments can be arranged in an orderly layered manner to obtain the gradient thickness slurry sheet composite heated cigarette core material, wherein the gradient thickness slurry sheet composite heated cigarette core material is an orderly mixed type; The gradient thickness slurry sheet yarn is selected from at least two of the following: thin slurry sheet yarn, medium-thick slurry sheet yarn, or thick slurry sheet yarn.

2. The production method according to claim 1, characterized by, The gradient thickness slurry method sheet composite heated cigarette core material is a disordered mixture type, and the mass ratio of the natural tobacco shreds to the gradient thickness slurry method sheet shreds is (20-80):(30-80), preferably (30-60):(40-70); The mass ratio of the thin slurry-processed sheet yarn, the medium-thick slurry-processed sheet yarn, and the thick slurry-processed sheet yarn is (0-40):(0-40):(0-60), and at least two of the ratios are not 0.

3. The production method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized by, The gradient thickness slurry-processed sheet composite heated cigarette core material is an ordered mixture type, and the mass ratio of the thin slurry-processed sheet filaments, the medium-thick slurry-processed sheet filaments, and the thick slurry-processed sheet filaments is (5-60):(10-70):(10-60), preferably (20-50):(30-50):(15-30); And / or, in the ordered layered arrangement, the thickness of the filaments arranged around the heating element of the smoke appliance is greater than the thickness of the filaments arranged in other positions in the radial direction.

4. The production method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized by, The thickness of the thin sheet filament produced by the slurry method is 0.15-0.24 mm; And / or, the thickness of the medium-thickness slurry-processed thin sheet filament is 0.25-0.34 mm.

5. The production method according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized by, The thickness of the thick slurry-processed thin sheet filament is 0.35-0.45 mm.

6. The production method according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized by, The gradient thickness paste-process thin sheet filament is prepared by a method comprising the following steps: Tobacco raw material powder is mixed with wood pulp fiber, adhesive, smoking agent and water to obtain a thick paste, which is then cast, dried and slit to obtain the gradient thickness thick paste sheet.

7. The preparation method according to claim 6, characterized in that, The gradient thickness slurry method thin sheet is a thin slurry method thin sheet, the wood pulp fiber dissociation degree is 80-88°SR, the tobacco raw material powder passes through a 120-mesh sieve, the casting process uses a slanted scraper with a gap of 0.25-0.55 mm, and the drying is carried out by surface instantaneous high-temperature hot air drying, the hot air temperature is 100-120℃, the air pressure is 800-1200Pa, and the time is 0.5-1.5 min; And / or, the gradient thickness slurry sheet yarn is a medium-thickness slurry sheet yarn, the degree of dissociation of the wood pulp fiber is 65-75°SR, the casting adopts wet double-layer co-casting, the gap between the scrapers of each layer is independently 0.25-0.50 mm, the drying adopts three-stage step drying, specifically, drying at 60-70℃ for 5-8 min, then raising the temperature to 85-100℃ for 3-5 min, and finally lowering the temperature to 55-65℃ for 8-12 min; And / or, the gradient thickness slurry-based sheet yarn is a thick slurry-based sheet yarn, the wood pulp fiber dissociation degree is 55-65°SR, the tobacco raw material powder passes through a 100-mesh sieve, the casting process adopts 3-4 thin-layer wet-dry layer casting, the single-layer forming dry thickness is controlled at 0.12-0.20mm, and each layer is pre-dried to a moisture content of 15-20% after coating; the drying adopts microwave hot air assisted slow uniform temperature drying, the microwave power density is 0.3-1.0 W / g, the hot air assisted temperature is 50-70℃, and the drying time is 20-40 min; after drying, constant temperature and humidity conditioning is also carried out, the conditioning temperature is 25-30℃, the relative humidity is 60-65%, and the time is 20-30 h.

8. The production method according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized by, The shredded natural tobacco and the shredded sheet produced by the gradient thickness slurry method have independently cut widths of 0.8-1.2 mm; And / or, the natural tobacco is further equilibrated to a moisture content of 10-13% before blending; And / or, the moisture content of the gradient thickness slurry-process composite heated cigarette core material is 11-14%.

9. A gradient thickness slurry-based composite heated cigarette core material prepared by any one of claims 1-8.

10. The application of the gradient thickness slurry-based composite heated cigarette core material according to claim 9 in the preparation of heated cigarette cartridges and / or cigarette sticks.

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