Environmentally friendly biodegradable filter

Abstract

To provide an environmentally friendly biodegradable lyocell filter, and a smoking article to which the lyocell filter is applied.SOLUTION: A smoking article 1 includes a filter for a smoking article, a tobacco medium portion, a filter portion 20, and a wrapper. The filter portion includes a lyocell tow containing lyocell fibers, a binder solution, and filter wrapping paper, and exhibits a biodegradation of 90% or more within 6 months in seawater conditions (Marine) at 30°C in accordance with ASTM D6691.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a biodegradable, environmentally friendly filter and a smoking article using the same. [Background technology]

[0002] Cellulose acetate tow is a chemically modified material made by reacting cellulose with sulfuric acid and acetic acid. Conventionally, cellulose acetate (CA) tow used in cigarette filter manufacturing requires the addition of a plasticizer to improve filter hardness. When filters are manufactured using cellulose acetate tow, the hardness is improved and the bonding strength between the tows is also increased. However, cellulose acetate filters manufactured using a plasticizer have the drawback of being difficult to pass analytical standards for marine conditions.

[0003] Unlike cellulose acetate tow, lyocell tow (L-tow) is made by dissolving cellulose in an environmentally friendly solvent called N-Methylmorpholine N-Oxide (NMMO) and creating fiber bundles, rather than changing the cellulose structure through a chemical reaction. Lyocell tow is an eco-friendly material, with cellulose as its main component, and the binder used to increase the hardness of the filter made from it and the binding strength between the tows is also an environmentally friendly material. Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] In view of the above, in order to overcome the problems and / or limitations of the prior art, the present invention aims to provide a biodegradable and environmentally friendly Lyocell filter comprising Lyocell tow, a binder solution and a filter wrapper, and a smoking article comprising the same.

[0005] However, the problems to be solved by the present invention are not limited to those mentioned above, and other problems not mentioned can be clearly understood by a person having ordinary skill in the relevant technical field from the following description. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] According to one embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a filter for a smoking article, which comprises lyocell tow containing lyocell fibers, a binder solution, and a filter wrapper, and which has a biodegradation of 90% or more within 6 months under marine conditions at 30°C according to ASTM D6691.

[0007] According to another aspect, there is provided a smoking article comprising a tobacco medium portion, a filter portion, and a wrapper, The filter part includes a lyocell tow containing lyocell fiber, a binder solution, and a filter wrapper, and has a biodegradation of 90% or more within 6 months under marine conditions at 30°C according to ASTM D6691; the binder is at least one selected from the group consisting of cellulose-based, vinyl-based, and polyester-based binders; The smoking article is characterized in that the binder solution contains one or more solvents selected from the group consisting of water, ethanol, propylene glycol, and glycerin. [Effects of the Invention]

[0008] According to one aspect of the present invention, a filter rod is formed by towing Lyocell fibers having a cellulose network structure, and then applied to a cigarette filter using an environmentally friendly binder solution, thereby improving the hardness of the filter and providing an environmentally friendly, biodegradable filter.

[0009] It should be understood that the effects of the present invention are not limited to the effects described above, but include all effects that can be inferred from the configuration of the invention described in the detailed description of the present invention or the claims. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0010] [Figure 1] 1 is a diagram showing a schematic configuration of a smoking article according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] 1 is a diagram showing a schematic configuration of a smoking article including a wrapper according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 3] 1 is a graph showing biodegradation over time under marine conditions for 28 days, comparing cellulose, lyocell filters, lyocell tow, and cellulose acetate filters. [Figure 4] 1 is a graph showing biodegradation over time under marine conditions for 182 days, comparing cellulose, lyocell filters, lyocell tow, and cellulose acetate filters. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0011] Hereinafter, embodiments will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, various modifications can be made to the embodiments, and the scope of the patent application is not limited or restricted by such embodiments. It should be understood that all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives to the embodiments are included in the scope of the patent application.

[0012] The terms used in the embodiments are used for explanatory purposes only and should not be construed as limiting. A singular expression includes a plural expression unless otherwise clearly indicated. In this specification, the terms "comprise" or "have" are intended to specify the presence of features, numbers, steps, operations, components, parts, or combinations thereof described in the specification, and should be understood not to preclude the presence or possibility of addition of one or more other features, numbers, steps, operations, components, parts, or combinations thereof.

[0013] Unless otherwise defined, all terms used herein, including technical and scientific terms, have the same meaning as commonly understood by a person of ordinary skill in the art to which the embodiments pertain. Terms as defined in commonly used dictionaries should be interpreted as having a meaning consistent with the meaning they have in the relevant art, and should not be interpreted as having an idealized or overly formal meaning unless expressly defined in this application.

[0014] Furthermore, when describing the embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings, the same components are denoted by the same reference numerals regardless of the reference numerals, and redundant descriptions thereof will be omitted. When describing the embodiments, if it is determined that a detailed description of related publicly known technology may obscure the gist of the embodiments, the detailed description thereof will be omitted.

[0015] Furthermore, when describing components of the embodiments, terms such as first, second, A, B, (a), (b), etc. are used only to distinguish the components from other components, and the terms do not limit the nature, order, or sequence of the components.

[0016] Components that have functions common to those included in one embodiment will be described using the same names in other embodiments. Unless otherwise specified, the description of one embodiment may also be applied to other embodiments, and detailed descriptions will be omitted to the extent that they overlap.

[0017] Throughout the specification, the term "smoking article" may refer to an article capable of generating an aerosol, such as a cigarette, a cigar, or the like. Smoking articles may include an aerosol-generating substance or an aerosol-forming substrate. Smoking articles may also include solid substances based on tobacco, such as flat tobacco, shredded tobacco, or reconstituted tobacco. Smoking substances may include volatile compounds.

[0018] Furthermore, throughout the specification, "upstream" or "upstream direction" refers to a direction away from the mouth of a user smoking the smoking article 1, and "downstream" or "downstream direction" refers to a direction toward the mouth of a user smoking the smoking article 1. For example, in the smoking article 1 shown in Figure 1, the tobacco material portion 10 is located upstream or in the upstream direction of the tobacco filter portion 20.

[0019] Furthermore, although the present specification has been described using the example of the smoking article 100 being a combustible cigarette, this is not limited thereto, and the smoking article 1 can also be a heated cigarette used in conjunction with an aerosol generating device (not shown) such as an electronic cigarette device.

[0020] According to one embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a filter for a smoking article, which comprises lyocell tow containing lyocell fibers, a binder solution, and a filter wrapper, and which has a biodegradation of 90% or more within 6 months under marine conditions at 30°C according to ASTM D6691.

[0021] Lyocell tow containing lyocell fibers is an eco-friendly material whose main component is cellulose. The lyocell tow containing lyocell fibers may have 15 to 60 crimps (wrinkles) per inch (2.54 cm) and a whiteness of 80 to 95%.

[0022] If the number of crimps is greater than the above range, the strength of the lyocell tow will be weakened. Conversely, if the number of crimps of the lyocell tow is less than the above range, the expansion of the tow will be reduced, resulting in a problem that it is difficult to realize an appropriate suction resistance compared to the weight during filter manufacturing.

[0023] If the whiteness is less than 80%, the filter will have a yellow or grayish color, which may cause smokers to have a negative impression that the filter is not clean. Also, achieving a whiteness of more than 95% is technically difficult, and even if it is possible to achieve this, it will result in increased costs.

[0024] In addition, in order to improve the hardness of the Lyocell filter and the binding strength with the tow, a binder solution may be used during the production of the filter, and the binder used therein is also made of an environmentally friendly material, and the solvent used to dissolve the binder is also environmentally friendly. Specific examples of such binders include one or more selected from the group consisting of cellulose-based binders, vinyl-based binders, and polyester-based binders.

[0025] More specifically, examples of the cellulose-based binder include hydroxypropylmethylcellulose (HPMC), ethylcellulose (EC), methylcellulose (MC), carboxymethylcellulose (CMC), etc., and examples of the vinyl-based binder include polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP), polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), ethylene vinyl acetate (EVAc), etc. Furthermore, the polyester-based binder may be a polyester containing one or more selected from the group consisting of alkylene, arylene, and heteroarylene having 5 to 12 carbon atoms.

[0026] As will be described in the following embodiments, it is preferable to use the polyester binder, since this can more effectively prevent the hardness of the filter from being reduced by the smoker's saliva during smoking.

[0027] Specific examples of the environmentally friendly solvent that dissolves the binder include water, ethanol, propylene glycol (PG), glycerin, etc., and more specifically, it is preferable that the solvent contains propylene glycol (PG).

[0028] When propylene glycol (PG) is used as a solvent to dissolve the binder, it acts as a release agent, reducing the adhesion of lyocell tow to the filter equipment rolls, thereby increasing the efficiency of the filter manufacturing process and preventing or overcoming the weakening of cellulosic material filters that occurs when using polar solvents such as water.

[0029] The filter paper contained in the lyocell filter can be a porous or non-porous paper that wraps the binder-coated lyocell tow and maintains the cylindrical filter shape. It can also be made from flax or wood pulp, and is required to maintain combustion and tobacco flavor during combustion. The filter paper can also contain a filler, which can increase the opacity of the filter paper, impart porosity, and improve the smoothness and ash caking resistance of the filter paper. Examples of fillers include calcium carbonate, titanium dioxide, and magnesium oxide.

[0030] According to yet another embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a smoking article comprising a tobacco medium portion, a filter portion, and a wrapper, The filter part includes a lyocell tow containing lyocell fiber, a binder solution, and a filter wrapper, and has a biodegradation of 90% or more within 6 months under marine conditions at 30°C according to ASTM D6691; the binder is at least one selected from the group consisting of cellulose-based, vinyl-based, and polyester-based binders; A smoking article can be provided, wherein the binder solution contains one or more solvents selected from the group consisting of water, ethanol, propylene glycol, and glycerin.

[0031] The filter portion included in the smoking article is believed to be substantially similar to the lyocell filter described above, and the specific components included therein are as described above.

[0032] The filter portion of the smoking article may be divided into two or more segments, such as a first filter portion and a second filter portion, and regardless of the location, any one of the two or more segments may be included in the scope of the present invention as long as it corresponds to a filter containing lyocell tow and a binder solution according to one embodiment of the present invention. Furthermore, one or more of the two or more segments may include a capsule capable of releasing a flavor, and the shape of such a capsule may be, but is not limited to, a spherical or cylindrical shape.

[0033] The tobacco medium portion generally contains a tobacco substance containing nicotine, such as tobacco leaves, and may further contain excipients such as binders and other additives. For example, the tobacco medium contained in the tobacco medium portion of the present invention may be manufactured in the form of granules containing a tobacco substance and excipients. A flavoring liquid such as menthol or a humectant may also be added to the tobacco medium portion by dispersing it in the tobacco medium.

[0034] In the present invention, the tobacco material is a material that forms an aerosol-generating substrate, and may be tobacco shreds, tobacco stems, tobacco dust generated during tobacco processing, and / or tobacco leaf strips. The tobacco leaf may be at least one selected from the group consisting of flue-cured, burley, oriental, cigar, and toasted tobacco, but is not limited to these.

[0035] As shown in Figure 2, a wrapper according to one embodiment of the present invention may include wrappers for each component of the smoking article, or may be divided into a tobacco medium wrapper 110a that wraps the tobacco medium section and a filter wrapper (filter paper) 120a that wraps the filter. Furthermore, as described above, if the filter section is divided into multiple segments, a wrapper may be included for each segment. Furthermore, a tipping wrapper 130 may be included that wraps a portion of the tobacco medium section and the filter section to secure the connection between the tobacco medium section and the filter section, or an outer wrapper may be included that is positioned at the outermost side of the smoking article and wraps the tobacco medium section and filter section to maintain the overall shape of the smoking article.

[0036] The tipping wrapper, which connects the tobacco medium portion and the filter, may be selectively formed with one or more perforations along the circumferential direction to allow external air to flow in or internal gas to flow out, thereby achieving the air dilution rate of the cigarette and controlling the amount of mainstream smoke components transferred.

[0037] The configuration and effects of the present invention will be described in more detail below with reference to examples and comparative examples. However, these examples are intended to more specifically explain the present invention, and the scope of the present invention is not limited to these examples.

[0038] -Example (1) Biodegradability evaluation experiment under marine conditions The analytical samples were crushed to 1 mm or less, and a control sample, a standard cellulose powder, was used for experiments (28 days and 182 days) under seawater conditions (Marine) at 30°C.

[0039] Biodegradability was determined by measuring the amount of carbon dioxide produced by the decomposition of the sample and standard, and comparing the amount of carbon dioxide measured in the analytical sample with the amount of carbon dioxide produced by the decomposition of the standard to calculate relative biodegradability.

[0040] As a result, as shown in Table 1 and FIG. 3 (28 days) and Table 2 and FIG. 4 (182 days), it was confirmed that the Lyocell filter according to one embodiment of the present invention not only exhibited over 90% biodegradability compared to the standard product within 6 months under marine conditions, but also exhibited over 90% biodegradability compared to the standard product in as short a time as 28 days.

[0041] [Table 1] (Biodegradable under marine conditions for 28 days)

[0042] [Table 2] (Biodegradable under marine conditions for 182 days) *AVG=average *SD=standard deviation *REL = Relative Biodegradability

[0043] (2) Moisture disintegration experiment The phenomenon in which the filter hardness is reduced by the smoker's saliva during smoking was simulated, and the moisture disintegration of the filter was measured depending on the presence and type of binder.

[0044] Specifically, Filtrona's DHT200 TM The hardness was measured before and after the water injection using an instrument, and 20 μl of water was injected into the filter, the injection amount being determined by measuring the moisture remaining in the filter after a group of smokers smoked cigarettes equipped with Lyocell filters.

[0045] The difference in hardness before and after the water injection was divided by the initial hardness to determine the degree of disintegration, and the results are shown below. Hardness (%) = (filter diameter (mm) - pressed length (mm) when pressed with a weight of a specific weight (300g)) / initial filter diameter (mm) x 100 Moisture disintegration (%) = (filter hardness before water injection - filter hardness after water injection) / (filter hardness before water injection) x 100

[0046] [Table 3] *Blank = sample without binder

[0047] Polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) binder has the property of being easily soluble in water due to the resonance structure of the amide group in its structure, and as shown in Table 3, it was confirmed that the water disintegration rate was 10.0%. In the case of polyester binder, although it is initially dissolved or dispersed in water, after the adhesive strength of the binder is imparted, it becomes less soluble in water, and the water disintegration rate was measured as low as 5.9%.

[0048] These results show that when a polyester binder is used as a binder, the moisture disintegration property is further improved compared to when no polyester binder is used or when other binders are used, and this has the effect of preventing the filter hardness from being reduced by the smoker's saliva when smoking.

[0049] Although the embodiments have been described above with limited drawings, those skilled in the art can apply various technical modifications and variations based on the above. For example, the described techniques may be performed in a different order than described, and / or the components of the described systems, structures, devices, circuits, etc. may be combined or combined in a different manner than described, or may be replaced or substituted by other components or equivalents, and still achieve suitable results.

[0050] Accordingly, other implementations, embodiments, and equivalents of the claims are intended to be within the scope of the following claims.

[0051] [Item 1] A filter for a smoking article, comprising a lyocell tow containing lyocell fibers, a binder solution and a filter paper, and having a biodegradation of 90% or more within 6 months under marine conditions at 30°C according to ASTM D6691. [Item 2] The moisture disintegration rate of the filter for smoking articles is 7% or less, The water disintegrability is determined by the following formula: Moisture disintegration (%) = (filter hardness before water injection - filter hardness after water injection) / (filter hardness before water injection) x 100 Item 1. A filter for a smoking article according to item 1, defined by: [Item 3] Item 2. The filter for a smoking article according to Item 1, wherein the lyocell tow has 15 to 60 crimps per inch (2.54 cm). [Item 4] Item 2. The filter for smoking articles according to item 1, wherein the lyocell tow has a whiteness of 80 to 95%. [Item 5] 2. The filter for smoking articles according to item 1, wherein the binder in the binder solution is one or more binders selected from the group consisting of cellulose-based binders, vinyl-based binders, and polyester-based binders. [Item 6] the cellulose-based binder is at least one selected from the group consisting of hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (HPMC), ethyl cellulose (EC), methyl cellulose (MC), and carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC); the vinyl binder is at least one selected from the group consisting of polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP), polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), polyvinyl acetate (PVAc), and ethylene vinyl acetate (EVAc); 6. The filter for smoking articles according to item 5, wherein the polyester binder contains at least one selected from the group consisting of alkylene, arylene, and heteroarylene having 5 to 12 carbon atoms. [Item 7] 2. The filter for smoking articles according to item 1, wherein the binder of the binder solution is a polyester-based binder containing one or more selected from the group consisting of alkylene, arylene, and heteroarylene having 5 to 12 carbon atoms. [Item 8] Item 2. The filter for smoking articles according to item 1, wherein the binder solution contains one or more solvents selected from the group consisting of water, ethanol, propylene glycol, and glycerin. [Item 9] Item 9. The filter for smoking articles according to item 8, wherein the solvent is one or more of propylene glycol and glycerin. [Item 10] 10. The filter for a smoking article according to any one of items 1 to 9, wherein the filter paper is made from hemp or pulp and contains one or more fillers selected from the group consisting of calcium carbonate, titanium dioxide, and magnesium oxide. [Item 11] A smoking article comprising a tobacco medium portion, a filter portion, and a wrapper, The filter part includes a lyocell tow containing lyocell fiber, a binder solution, and a filter wrapper, and has a biodegradation of 90% or more within 6 months under marine conditions at 30°C according to ASTM D6691; the binder of the binder solution is at least one selected from the group consisting of a cellulose-based binder, a vinyl-based binder, and a polyester-based binder; A smoking article, wherein the binder solution comprises one or more solvents selected from the group consisting of water, ethanol, propylene glycol, and glycerin. [Item 12] the cellulose-based binder is at least one selected from the group consisting of hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (HPMC), ethyl cellulose (EC), methyl cellulose (MC), and carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC); the vinyl binder is at least one selected from the group consisting of polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP), polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), and ethylene vinyl acetate (EVAc); Item 12. The smoking article according to item 11, wherein the polyester binder contains one or more selected from the group consisting of alkylenes, arylenes, and heteroarylenes having 5 to 12 carbon atoms. [Item 13] Item 12. The smoking article of item 11, wherein the solvent is one or more of propylene glycol and glycerin. [Item 14] Item 12. The smoking article according to item 11, wherein the filter portion further comprises a capsule capable of generating a flavor. [Item 15] 15. The smoking article according to any one of items 11 to 14, wherein the tobacco medium portion is added with a flavoring liquid.

Claims

1. The present invention relates to a filter wrapper, and the ... The water disintegrability is determined by the following formula: Moisture disintegration (%) = (filter hardness before water injection - filter hardness after water injection) / (filter hardness before water injection) x 100 A filter for a smoking article as defined by

2. 2. The smoking article filter according to claim 1, wherein the lyocell tow has 15 to 60 crimps per inch (2.54 cm).

3. 2. The smoking article filter according to claim 1, wherein the lyocell tow has a whiteness of 80 to 95%.

4. 2. The filter for smoking articles according to claim 1, wherein the binder is at least one selected from the group consisting of a cellulose-based binder, a vinyl-based binder, and a polyester-based binder.

5. the cellulose-based binder is at least one selected from the group consisting of hydroxypropyl methyl cellulose (HPMC), ethyl cellulose (EC), methyl cellulose (MC), and carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC); the vinyl binder is at least one selected from the group consisting of polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP), polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), polyvinyl acetate (PVAc), and ethylene vinyl acetate (EVAc); The filter for smoking articles according to claim 4, wherein the polyester-based binder contains one or more selected from the group consisting of alkylenes having 5 to 12 carbon atoms, arylenes having 5 to 12 carbon atoms, and heteroarylenes having 5 to 12 carbon atoms.

6. The filter for smoking articles according to claim 1, wherein the binder is a polyester-based binder containing at least one selected from the group consisting of alkylenes having 5 to 12 carbon atoms, arylenes having 5 to 12 carbon atoms, and heteroarylenes having 5 to 12 carbon atoms.

7. The binder is applied in the form of a binder solution mixed with a solvent that dissolves the binder; 2. The filter for a smoking article according to claim 1, wherein the binder solution contains one or more solvents selected from the group consisting of water, ethanol, propylene glycol, and glycerin.

8. The filter for smoking articles according to claim 7, wherein the solvent is one or more of propylene glycol and glycerin.

9. 9. The filter for a smoking article according to claim 1, wherein the filter paper is made from hemp or pulp and contains one or more fillers selected from the group consisting of calcium carbonate, titanium dioxide, and magnesium oxide.

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