Substrates Comprising Aerosol-Forming Materials on a Support and Uses Thereof - Patent application

Abstract

The present invention relates to a substrate comprising an aerosol-generating material and a support comprising a rough and / or porous surface, the aerosol-generating material comprising a dry precursor material comprising an extract from a fragrance and / or active-containing plant material, and optionally an aerosol-forming material. The substrate may be used to generate an aerosol. For example, the substrate may be used in a combustion or non-combustion aerosol delivery system. The present invention also relates to an aerosol delivery system comprising the substrate, and a method of providing the substrate.

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a substrate comprising an aerosol-forming material on a support, a method for making the substrate and uses thereof. [Background technology]

[0002] Aerosol-generating materials for use in combustion or non-combustion aerosol delivery systems may contain a variety of different actives and / or flavorants. Factors such as the concentration of volatile active and / or flavoring ingredients in the aerosol-generating material and the stability of the aerosol-generating material affect the characteristics of the aerosol generated. Summary of the Invention

[0003] According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a substrate comprising an aerosol-generating material and a support comprising a rough and / or porous surface, the aerosol-generating material comprising dried precursor material comprising a flavourant and / or an extract from active-containing plant material.

[0004] In some embodiments, the aerosol-forming material is in the form of particles that adhere to pores or surface irregularities on the surface of the support.

[0005] In some embodiments, the average diameter, width or dimension of the surface irregularities or pores on the surface of the support is at least about 10% greater than the average diameter, width or dimension of the particles of the aerosol-forming material.

[0006] In some embodiments, the support comprises one or more selected from the group consisting of paper, card, cardboard, cardboard, recycled materials, plastic materials, ceramic materials, activated carbon, glass, sintered materials, composite materials, plant-derived materials, fabrics or fleeces, fibrous tow, metals, and metal alloys.

[0007] In some embodiments, the support comprises a heating material.

[0008] In some embodiments, the aerosol-forming material covers at least a portion of the surface of the support.

[0009] In some embodiments, a plurality of discrete portions or regions of aerosol-forming material are provided on a substrate.

[0010] In some embodiments, the substrate does not include a binder applied to adhere the aerosol-forming material to the support.

[0011] In some embodiments, a binder is included to adhere the aerosol-forming material to a support in an amount of about 0.1% to about 5% by weight, based on the total weight of the aerosol-forming material.

[0012] In some embodiments, the binder is selected from the group consisting of thermoreversible gelling agents, starches, polysaccharides, pectins, cellulose, cellulose derivatives, and alginates.

[0013] In some embodiments, the aerosol-generating material comprises an aerosol-forming material.

[0014] In some embodiments, the precursor material comprises from about 10 to about 95% by weight of an extract derived from a flavor- or active-containing plant material.

[0015] In some embodiments, the precursor material comprises from about 1 to about 36% by weight of the aerosol-forming material.

[0016] In some embodiments, the precursor material comprises from 0 to about 40% by weight of excipients.

[0017] In some embodiments, the aerosol-forming material comprises from about 45% to about 99% by weight of a dried extract derived from flavor- or active-containing plant material.

[0018] In some embodiments, the aerosol-forming material comprises from about 1 to about 34% by weight of the aerosol-forming material.

[0019] In some embodiments, the aerosol-forming material comprises from 0 to about 25% by weight of an excipient.

[0020] In some embodiments, the plant material is selected from the group consisting of tobacco, eucalyptus, star anise, cocoa, and hemp.

[0021] In some embodiments, the extract from the flavor- or active-containing plant material is an aqueous extract.

[0022] In some embodiments, the extract from flavor- or active-containing plant material is an aqueous tobacco extract.

[0023] In some embodiments, the aerosol-forming material has a moisture content of about 5% or less (calculated on a wet weight basis).

[0024] In some embodiments, the substrate includes a moisture impermeable coating that surrounds the aerosol-forming material.

[0025] In some embodiments, the substrate comprises an adsorbent material.

[0026] In some embodiments, the substrate is for use in an aerosol delivery system.

[0027] According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided an article comprising an aerosol-generating material and a support comprising a rough and / or porous surface, the aerosol-generating material comprising a dried precursor material comprising a fragrance and / or an extract from active-containing plant material.

[0028] In some embodiments, the article comprises a substrate according to the first aspect.

[0029] In some embodiments, the article includes a means for preventing or reducing absorption of moisture by the dry aerosol-forming material.

[0030] In some embodiments, the means is provided separately from the aggregate or aggregates.

[0031] In some embodiments, the means comprises a moisture impermeable coating or a film or wrapper that includes an adsorbent or desiccant material.

[0032] According to a third aspect of the present invention there is provided a non-combustion aerosol delivery system comprising a substrate according to the first aspect or an article according to the second aspect.

[0033] According to a fourth aspect of the present invention there is provided a method for providing a substrate comprising drying a precursor material comprising an extract from a fragrance and / or active-containing plant material to form an aerosol-forming material and depositing the dried aerosol-forming material onto a rough and / or porous surface of a support.

[0034] In some embodiments, the precursor material is dried by spray drying or freeze drying.

[0035] In some embodiments, the particle size of the aerosol-generating material is adjusted before the material is deposited on a substrate.

[0036] In some embodiments, a binder is added to one or more of the aerosol-forming material and the substrate before the aerosol-forming material is deposited on the substrate.

[0037] According to a fifth aspect of the present invention there is provided a method for providing a substrate comprising the steps of applying a precursor material comprising an extract from a fragrance and / or active-containing plant material and an aerosol-forming material to a rough surface of a support, and drying the precursor material to form an aerosol-forming material on the rough surface of the support.

[0038] In some embodiments, the precursor material comprises an aerosol-forming material.

[0039] In some embodiments, a moisture impermeable coating is applied to the aerosol-forming material.

[0040] Embodiments of the present invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: [Brief description of the drawings]

[0041] [Figure 1] 1 is a schematic diagram of a substrate as described herein. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of another substrate described herein. [Diagram 3] 1 is a side cross-sectional view of a first embodiment of a consumable including a substrate as described herein. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a non-combustion aerosol delivery device for generating aerosol from the consumable composition shown in FIG. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0042] An aerosol-forming material is a material that is capable of generating an aerosol when, for example, heated, irradiated, or in any other way energized.

[0043] Conventional aerosol generating materials, including tobacco materials or tobacco extracts, can be used in combustion and non-combustion aerosol generating devices, including hybrid devices and tobacco heating products, to provide users with an aerosol with authentic tobacco taste and texture. One problem encountered with such materials is that the content of flavors, other volatile compound(s) and nicotine decreases with storage of the aerosol generating material, especially toward the end of the material's life. This is because the more volatile components, including nicotine and many flavors and aromas, are easily released from the material. Furthermore, when the moisture content of the aerosol generating material increases due to moisture absorption, the release of substances such as nicotine and flavors is adversely affected. Aerosol generating materials produced using conventional methods and procedures generally need to be used within 1-3 days of production. Thus, there is a need to improve the shelf life of aerosol generating materials.

[0044] A further problem associated with conventional aerosol-forming materials that include tobacco materials or tobacco extracts is that the concentrations of desired components, such as nicotine and flavors, are relatively low. This limits the concentration of these desired components in the generated aerosol. Furthermore, this means that a relatively large amount of the aerosol-forming material is required, and therefore a large amount of energy is required to heat the aerosol-forming material to release the desired components.

[0045] The present invention relates to compositions comprising dried or dehydrated aerosol-forming materials formed from extracts from flavorants and / or active-containing plant materials. In some embodiments, the extracts are liquid solutions or suspensions and may be dried or dehydrated using processes such as spray drying or freeze drying. The dried or dehydrated aerosol-forming materials may be formed from precursor materials comprising extracts from flavorants and / or active-containing plant materials and aerosol-forming materials.

[0046] Aerosol-generating materials that include dried extracts from fragrance- and / or active-containing plant materials contain high concentrations of fragrance and / or active substances, with little or no material that does not contribute to the aerosol generated from the dry aerosol-generating material. Thus, a small amount of aerosol-generating material is sufficient to generate an aerosol with the desired active and fragrance content. Furthermore, the aerosol may be generated with a relatively low level of energy input.

[0047] An additional advantage of the aerosol-forming materials used as solid substrates is that the low water content reduces the problems associated with "hot puffs" as known in the art.

[0048] In some embodiments, the dry aerosol forming material has a moisture content of 0 to about 10%, or 0 to about 5%, (calculated on a wet weight basis) as measured by gas chromatography-thermal conductivity detector (GC-TCD) or Karl Fischer titration. In some embodiments, the moisture content of the dry aerosol forming material is less than about 3% by weight, e.g., about 0 to about 3% by weight, or about 0.5 to about 2.5% by weight.

[0049] Karl Fischer titration is a classical method of chemical analysis for reliably determining trace amounts of water in a sample and can be easily performed using an automated Karl Fischer titrator. Similarly, the use of GC-TCD is also an established method for reliably determining the water content in a sample.

[0050] Unless otherwise stated, references to water content herein are references to water content as measured by Karl Fischer titration.

[0051] Dry aerosol-forming materials can be hygroscopic, so steps must be taken to ensure that the aerosol-forming material does not absorb moisture during processing, during incorporation into the final product, and during storage in that final product prior to use.

[0052] In the present disclosure, the aerosol-generating material is provided on a support. The combination of the aerosol-generating material and the support is referred to herein as a substrate. The substrate may be used in an aerosol delivery system to generate an aerosol. The support carries the aerosol-generating material and provides it in a manner suitable for use in the aerosol delivery system. This is a particularly advantageous method for providing the aerosol-generating material, which is highly concentrated and therefore requires very small amounts compared to conventional aerosol-generating materials.

[0053] Thus, there is provided a substrate comprising an aerosol-forming material comprising a dried precursor material comprising an extract derived from a fragrance- and / or active-containing plant material and a support.

[0054] support In the substrates disclosed herein, the dry aerosol-forming material is provided on a support having a rough surface. In some embodiments, the rough surface is irregular, non-uniform, and not smooth. For example, the rough surface may include depressions, holes, channels, protrusions.

[0055] Surface roughness is a component of surface texture and is generally quantified by the deviation of the direction of the normal vector of an actual surface from its ideal form. The profile roughness parameter is included in the BS EN ISO 4287:2000 British Standard, which is identical to the ISO 4287:1997 standard. One test of surface smoothness (or roughness) is the Bekk smoothness, measured by the air leak method, where the test surface is clamped between a flat glass plate and a circular metal head, and air is drawn across the surface of the test specimen under partial vacuum. The air flow rate is measured in ml / min between the paper, applicable standards are ISO 5627, Tappi T479 and DIN 53107.

[0056] Surface structure and roughness play an important role in controlling contact mechanics, i.e., the mechanical behavior exhibited at the interface between two solid objects as they approach each other and transition from a non-contact state to a full contact state, where the two solid objects are a support and a particle of solid aerosol-generating material. In particular, the adhesion of the particle to the support is determined by the roughness and contact area between the two solid objects.

[0057] As a result, it is desirable to match the particle size of the solid aerosol-forming material to the size of the surface irregularities of the support to maximize the contact area, and therefore adhesion, between the support surface and the particles of the aerosol-forming material. Thus, a highly porous support structure can accommodate larger (and to some extent, smaller) particles while still providing the desired level of adhesion or entrapment. On the other hand, smaller surface irregularities of the support surface call for finer particle sizes.

[0058] Thus, a wide variety of rough support structures can be used in the present invention, and as one skilled in the art will appreciate, the particle size of the solid aerosol-generating material must be selected to match the dimensions of the surface irregularities. In some embodiments, the particles may be smaller than the dimensions of the irregularities, such as pores. This allows the particles to be located within the irregularities with a large contact area between the surface of the support and the particles, and / or physical protection of the particles from forces that may result in the particles being dislodged and removed from the surface of the support. In other embodiments, the particles may be larger than the dimensions of the irregularities, such as pores. Preferably, the particles can still be partially located within the irregularities, with sufficient contact area between the surfaces of the support and some physical protection.

[0059] In some embodiments, the projections and recesses on the surface of the support have a diameter, width or dimension in the range of 0.1 μm to about 1 mm.

[0060] In some embodiments, the average diameter, width or dimension of the surface irregularities of the substrate is at least about 10%, at least about 15%, at least about 20%, or at least about 25% greater than the average diameter, width or dimension of the particles of the aerosol-generating material. In some embodiments, the average diameter, width or dimension of the surface irregularities of the substrate is no more than about 100%, no more than about 90%, no more than about 75%, or no more than about 50% greater than the average diameter, width or dimension of the particles of the aerosol-generating material.

[0061] The substrate or layer of the substrate may be formed of any material suitable for receiving and retaining the aerosol-forming material.

[0062] The support may be or may comprise one or more materials selected from, for example, paper, card, cardboard, cardboard, recycled materials such as recycled paper or recycled plant materials, plastic materials such as polylactic acid, ceramic materials, activated carbon, glass, sintered glass, metals, sintered materials such as ceramics or plastics, composite materials, materials of plant origin, fabrics or fleeces, fibrous tows such as cellulose acetate tow, metals or metal alloys.

[0063] In some embodiments, the support comprises a material that inherently has a rough or porous surface.

[0064] For example, the support or a portion thereof may be formed from a rough or porous paper material, such as tipping paper, porous plug wrap, cigarette paper, or tea bag paper. The paper may be porous paper. When the aerosol-generating material is applied to the surface of such a support, the particles can penetrate into the pores of the porous paper, providing good adhesion between the solid surface of the particles and the paper. In some embodiments, the support surface comprises a paper material, the paper optionally having a weight of about 20 gsm to about 100 gsm.

[0065] In some embodiments, the support is or includes an airlaid substrate, such as airlaid paper, which has a highly porous surface structure, and in some embodiments, the aerosol-forming material is applied to the surface of the airlaid substrate / support. In other embodiments, the aerosol-forming material may be added during the manufacture of the airlaid substrate / support, and the manufacturing process is a dry process.

[0066] In some embodiments, the substrate is a (dried) tobacco material, such as tobacco leaf, lamina or stem material, or a reconstituted tobacco material. The aerosol-forming material may be applied directly onto the rough surface of such a substrate material.

[0067] In some embodiments, the support comprises a fabric, fleece, or fibrous material, such as tow. Such support materials may inherently have a porous structure with spaces between the fibers. Particles of the solid aerosol-generating material may adhere to the surfaces of the fibers in the material and / or occupy the interstices between the fibers.

[0068] In some embodiments, the substrate is a woven or nonwoven fabric or fleece comprising a plurality of fibers, hi some embodiments, the fleece or fabric is made by dry laid, air laid, wet laid, spun melt, melt blown, or the like processes to intertwine fibers or filaments into a web in a manner that does not involve weaving or knitting.

[0069] The fabric may include fibers formed from materials including cellulose fibers, viscose fibers, regenerated cellulose fibers, wood fibers, cotton fibers, wool fibers, or other fleece-forming polymers, such as polyglycolic acid fibers, polylactic acid fibers, polyhydroxyalkanoate fibers, polycaprolactone fibers, polybutylene succinate fibers, polybutylene succinate adipate fibers, and combinations thereof. In some embodiments, the fibers are heat stable and / or biodegradable.

[0070] In some embodiments, the support is a porous material such as an open cell reticulated foam or a sintered structure, hi some embodiments, the porous material comprises a ceramic material, an activated carbon material, a zeolite, silica, wood, cork, or other naturally occurring material with a porous surface.

[0071] In other embodiments, the substrate comprises a material that does not have an inherent roughness, but instead the surface has been treated or shaped to form a roughened or porous surface.

[0072] In some embodiments, at least a portion of the support surface can be roughened by creating a number of holes or depressions in the support or a layer of the support, hi some embodiments, the holes or depressions may be created by piercing or indenting the surface with a pin or a series of pins or an embossing device.

[0073] In some embodiments, the surface of the support may be rough due to the presence of a plurality of protrusions. Protrusions are elements that protrude from the surface of the support. Protrusions can take many forms, including, for example, cylinders, cubes, pyramids, and irregular shapes. It is not necessary for the protrusions to be formed with all the same shape. The protrusions may cover all or most of the surface of the support, or only a portion of the surface of the support. In one example, the protrusions can be formed by adding additional material or removing some material from the surface of the support.

[0074] In some embodiments, the surface of the support is embossed to create surface roughness. The support can be embossed by stamping the support or a layer thereof with a die so that the surface has a three-dimensional or raised effect in selected areas. Embossing is a simple and repeatable method of creating a rough surface. The surface may be embossed using a variety of patterns, such as one or more of spirals, lines, squares, circles, and / or rectangles.

[0075] In some embodiments, the surface can be roughened by including one or more ridges, creases, depressions, or raised portions. These features can be created by processes or techniques such as, for example, creping or corrugating.

[0076] In some examples, the substrate surface can be roughened by having one or more scorelines formed in the surface. The scorelines can be formed by known processes such as running a cutting element over the surface of the substrate to provide one or more cuts or indentations in the first surface of the substrate.

[0077] In some examples, the surface roughness of the substrate is provided by a combination of one or more of protrusions, embossments, and scorelines.

[0078] In some embodiments, the support consists of or includes a heating material including one or more materials selected from the group consisting of conductive materials, magnetic materials, and magnetic conductive materials. In some embodiments, the heating material may include a metal or metal alloy. In some embodiments, the heating material may include one or more materials selected from the group consisting of aluminum, gold, iron, nickel, cobalt, conductive carbon, graphite, flat carbon steel, stainless steel, ferritic stainless steel, copper, and bronze.

[0079] In some embodiments, the heating material may be heated by induction heating, a process in which a conductive object is heated by penetrating a varying magnetic field into the conductive object. In some embodiments, the heating material may be heated by resistive heating. In such embodiments, the heating material is connected to a power source. Other possible types of heating include infrared heating and microwave heating.

[0080] In some embodiments, the heating material includes a roughened surface or holes, for example in the form of a mesh, a fibrous mass, or a perforated, embossed, or scored sheet.

[0081] Dry aerosol-generating materials The aerosol-generating material comprises a dried extract from a flavoring and / or active-containing plant material. In some embodiments, the aerosol-generating material further comprises an aerosol-forming material.

[0082] In some embodiments, the aerosol-generating material is formed by drying a precursor material that includes a flavorant and / or an extract from an active-containing plant material. The drying process is selected to preserve desired components of the precursor material, and thus the aerosol-generating material may include one or more actives and / or flavorants.

[0083] In some embodiments, the precursor material further comprises one or more aerosol-forming materials. Additionally or alternatively, one or more aerosol-forming materials may be added to the dry precursor material to provide an aerosol-generating material having a desired aerosol-forming material content.

[0084] Thus, the aerosol-generating material may include one or more active agents and / or flavorings, and optionally one or more aerosol-forming materials. The precursor material and / or the dry aerosol-generating material may also optionally include one or more other functional materials.

[0085] The present invention takes advantage of aerosol-forming materials that are formulated to have a long shelf life and can therefore be easily transported and stored. Without wishing to be bound by any particular theory, it is hypothesized that the low moisture content of the dry aerosol-forming material reduces the evaporation of other solvents over time, reducing the decomposition of nicotine and / or other volatile compounds. The low moisture content also inhibits microbial growth.

[0086] Compositions including the dry aerosol-forming materials described herein are stable over a range of temperatures and humidities, providing long shelf lives and thus allowing for ease of storage and transportation. In some embodiments, the compositions may be stored at temperatures ranging from 0 to 35° C. In some embodiments, the compositions may be stored at up to about 30% relative humidity prior to use.

[0087] Aerosol-generating materials also have the advantage of having a high concentration of the desired components, meaning that a relatively small amount of the aerosol-generating material is needed and less energy is needed to heat and release the desired components. Importantly, the aerosols generated from these materials also provide a reasonable intensity of authentic tobacco flavor.

[0088] A further advantage of the aerosol-forming materials is that they can be used as solid aerosol-generating substrates in hybrid systems or tobacco heating products (THPs), making the invention versatile enough for use in a variety of products without the need for further processing.

[0089] In some embodiments, the extract from flavor- or active-containing plant material is an extract from tobacco material.

[0090] The tobacco extract or material may be from or may be any type of tobacco and any part of the tobacco plant, including tobacco blades, stems, stalks, ribs, crumbs and bits, or a mixture of two or more thereof. Suitable tobacco extracts or materials include the following types: Virginia or flue-cured tobacco, Burley tobacco, Oriental tobacco, or blends of tobacco materials, optionally including those listed herein. Tobacco, such as dry ice expanded tobacco (DIET), may be expanded or processed by any other means. In some embodiments, the tobacco material may be a reconstituted tobacco material. The tobacco may be pre-processed or unprocessed, for example, solid stem (SS), shredded dried stem (SDS), steam treated stem (STS), or any combination thereof. The tobacco material may be fermented, cured, uncured, roasted, or otherwise pre-processed. The tobacco material may be provided in the form of cut rag tobacco. The cut rag tobacco may have a cut width of at least 15 cuts / inch (about 5.9 cuts / cm, which corresponds to a cut width of about 1.7 mm). Cut rag tobacco can be formed from a mixture of tobacco material forms, such as a mixture of one or more of reconstituted tobacco, leaf tobacco, extruded tobacco, and band-cast tobacco.

[0091] The precursor material that is dried to form the aerosol-forming material may comprise at least about 10%, at least about 15%, at least about 20%, at least about 25%, at least about 30%, at least about 35%, or at least about 40% by weight tobacco solids (calculated on a wet weight basis). Additionally or alternatively, the precursor material may comprise up to about 60%, up to about 55%, up to about 50%, up to about 45%, or up to about 40% by weight tobacco solids (calculated on a wet weight basis). In some embodiments, the precursor material comprises between about 20% and about 40% by weight tobacco solids (calculated on a wet weight basis).

[0092] In some embodiments, the precursor material comprises at least about 10% by weight, at least about 20% by weight, at least about 30% by weight, at least about 40% by weight, at least about 50% by weight, at least about 60% by weight, at least about 70% by weight, at least about 80% by weight, or at least about 90% by weight of an extract derived from tobacco or other flavoring or active-containing plant material (calculated on a wet weight basis). Alternatively or additionally, the precursor material may comprise up to about 99% by weight, up to about 90% by weight, up to about 80% by weight, up to about 70% by weight, or up to about 60% by weight of an extract derived from tobacco or other flavoring or active-containing plant material (calculated on a wet weight basis). In some embodiments, the precursor material comprises about 50% by weight of tobacco extract (calculated on a wet weight basis).

[0093] In some embodiments, the aerosol-forming material may comprise at least about 45%, at least about 50%, at least about 60%, at least about 70%, at least about 80%, at least about 90%, or at least about 95% by weight of tobacco material or tobacco extract, or flavor or active-containing plant material extract (calculated on a dry weight basis). In some embodiments, the aerosol-forming material may comprise from about 60 to about 80% by weight of tobacco extract (calculated on a dry weight basis).

[0094] In some embodiments, the dry aerosol forming material may contain from about 2% to about 10% nicotine by weight, or from about 3 to about 6% by weight (calculated on a dry weight basis).

[0095] In some embodiments, the precursor material comprises about 50% v / v tobacco extract. When the precursor material comprises about 50% v / v tobacco extract, and the tobacco extract has a tobacco solids content of about 55 to about 60% v / v, the overall tobacco solids content of the precursor material is about 27.5 to about 30% v / v.

[0096] In some embodiments, the tobacco extract has a solids content of about 40% to about 65%, about 45% to about 65%, or about 40% to about 60% by weight (calculated on a wet weight basis). In some embodiments, the moisture content of the tobacco extract is about 35% to about 65%, or about 35% to about 55% by weight (calculated on a wet weight basis). In some embodiments, the nicotine content of the tobacco extract is about 1% to about 5% by weight (calculated on a wet weight basis).

[0097] In some embodiments, the dry aerosol-forming material may comprise at least about 45%, at least about 50%, at least about 60%, at least about 70%, at least about 80%, at least about 90%, or at least about 95% tobacco solids by weight (calculated on a dry weight basis). Additionally or alternatively, the aerosol-forming material may comprise up to about 99%, up to about 98%, up to about 95%, up to about 90%, or up to about 80% by weight tobacco solids by weight. In some embodiments, the dry aerosol-forming material may comprise from about 60 to about 80% tobacco solids by weight (calculated on a dry weight basis).

[0098] In some embodiments, the tobacco extract is an aqueous tobacco extract. In some embodiments, the tobacco extract may be concentrated and then diluted before being added to the precursor material and dried. In other embodiments, the tobacco extract may not be concentrated and may be used directly to the precursor material.

[0099] The precursor material may be in the form of a slurry, suspension, gel, liquid or solid, but in some potentially preferred embodiments is in the form of a suspension or liquid, hi some embodiments, particles of solid material may be removed from the extract and / or precursor material by filtration and / or centrifugation.

[0100] In some embodiments, it may be desirable for any particles in the precursor composition to have an average particle size of about 3 mm or less, 1 mm or less, about 0.5 mm or less, or to have an average particle size of about 0.3 mm or less, as measured by sieving or by observing the size of the particles by SEM.

[0101] The water content of the precursor material can be at least about 20% by weight, at least about 30% by weight, at least about 40% by weight, at least about 50% by weight, at least about 60% by weight, at least about 70% by weight, at least about 80% by weight, or at least about 90% by weight on a wet weight basis. Alternatively or additionally, the water content of the precursor material can be up to about 95% by weight, up to about 90% by weight, up to about 85% by weight, up to about 80% by weight, up to about 75% by weight, up to about 70% by weight, up to about 65% by weight, up to about 60% by weight, up to about 55% by weight, or up to about 50% by weight on a wet weight basis. In some embodiments, the water content of the precursor material is about 40% to about 50% by weight (50% to 60% v / v%) on a wet weight basis. When the water content of the precursor material is low, the spray / freeze drying process is quicker because there is less water to remove.

[0102] In some embodiments, the dry aerosol-generating material and / or the precursor material includes one or more actives, which may be obtained from an extract or may be added, in some embodiments, a flavoring or an extract from an active-containing plant material includes the actives.

[0103] The active substance may be a physiologically active material, which is a material intended to achieve or enhance a physiological response. The active substance may be selected from, for example, dietary supplements, nootropics, and psychotropic drugs. The active substance may include, for example, nicotine, caffeine, taurine, theine, vitamins such as B6 or B12 or C, melatonin, cannabinoids, or components, derivatives, or combinations thereof. The active substance may include one or more components, derivatives, or extracts of tobacco, cannabis, or another botanical substance.

[0104] In some embodiments, the active agent comprises nicotine, hi some embodiments, the active agent comprises caffeine, melatonin, or vitamin B12.

[0105] In some embodiments, the precursor material may include extracts from other plant source(s) along with or in place of tobacco extract.

[0106] As described herein, an extract may comprise or be derived from one or more plants or components, derivatives or extracts thereof. As used herein, the term "botanical" includes any material derived from a plant, including, but not limited to, extracts, leaves, bark, fiber, stems, roots, seeds, flowers, fruits, pollen, husks, shells, etc. Extracts may comprise or be derived from plants in the form of liquids, gases, solids, powders, dusts, crushed particles, granules, pellets, shreds, strips, sheets, etc. Exemplary botanicals include tobacco, eucalyptus, star anise, hemp, cocoa, cannabis, fennel, lemongrass, peppermint, spearmint, rooibos, chamomile, flax, ginger, ginkgo, hazel, hibiscus, bay, licorice, matcha, yerba mate, orange peel, papaya, rose, sage, tea, such as green tea or black tea, thyme, cloves, cinnamon, coffee, aniseed, basil, bay leaf, cardamom, coriander, cumin, nutmeg, oregano, paprika, rosemary, saffron, la bender, lemon peel, mint, juniper, elderflower, vanilla, wintergreen, shiso, curcuma, turmeric, sandalwood, cilantro, bergamot, orange blossom, myrtle, blackcurrant, valerian, pimento, mace, damiane, marjoram, olive, lemon balm, lemon basil, chives, Calvi, verbena, tarragon, geranium, mulberry, ginseng, theanine, theacrine, maca, ashwagandha, damiana, guarana, chlorophyll, baobab, or any combination thereof. The mint may be selected from the following mint varieties: peppermint, mentha cv, Egyptian mint, peppermint, cologne mint, candy mint, curly mint, Kentucky kernel mint, horse mint, pineapple mint, pennyroyal mint, green peppermint, and apple mint.

[0107] In some embodiments, the extract comprises or is derived from one or more plants selected from eucalyptus, star anise, cocoa, and hemp, or components, derivatives, or extracts thereof.

[0108] In some embodiments, the extract comprises or is derived from one or more plants selected from rooibos and fennel, or components, derivatives or extracts thereof.

[0109] In some embodiments, the aerosol-generating and / or precursor material comprises one or more cannabinoid compounds selected from the group consisting of cannabidiol (CBD), tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), tetrahydrocannabinolic acid (THCA), cannabidiol acid (CBDA), cannabinol (CBN), cannabigerol (CBG), cannabichromene (CBC), cannabicyclol (CBL), cannabivarin (CBV), tetrahydrocannabivarin (THCV), cannabidivarin (CBDV), cannabichromevarin (CBCV), cannabigerovarin (CBGV), cannabigerol monomethyl ether (CBGM), and cannabielsoin (CBE), cannabicitran (CBT).

[0110] The aerosol-generating material and / or precursor material may include one or more cannabinoid compounds selected from the group consisting of cannabidiol (CBD) and THC (tetrahydrocannabinol).

[0111] The aerosol-generating material and / or precursor material may include cannabidiol (CBD).

[0112] The aerosol generating and / or precursor materials may include nicotine and cannabidiol (CBD).

[0113] The aerosol-generating and / or precursor materials may include nicotine, cannabidiol (CBD), and THC (tetrahydrocannabinol).

[0114] The aerosol-generating material further comprises an aerosol-forming material, which in some embodiments is included in the precursor material.

[0115] The aerosol forming material may include one or more components capable of forming an aerosol. The aerosol forming agent may be, for example, a polyol aerosol generating agent or a non-polyol aerosol generating agent. It may be a solid or liquid at room temperature, but is preferably a liquid at room temperature.

[0116] In some embodiments, the aerosol forming material may include one or more of glycerin, glycerol, propylene glycol, diethylene glycol, triethylene glycol, tetraethylene glycol, 1,3-butylene glycol, erythritol, mesoerythritol, ethyl vanillate, ethyl laurate, diethyl suberate, triethyl citrate, triacetin, diacetin mixtures, benzyl benzoate, benzyl phenyl acetate, tributyrin, lauryl acetate, lauric acid, myristic acid, and propylene carbonate.

[0117] In some embodiments, the aerosol forming agent comprises one or more polyhydric alcohols such as propylene glycol, triethylene glycol, 1,3-butanediol, and glycerin, esters of polyhydric alcohols such as glycerol mono-, di-, or triacetate, and / or aliphatic esters of mono-, di-, or polycarboxylic acids such as dimethyl dodecanedioate and dimethyl tetradecanedioate. In some embodiments, the aerosol forming material comprises one or more compounds selected from erythritol, propylene glycol, glycerol, vegetable glycerin (VG), triacetin, sorbitol, and xylitol.

[0118] In some embodiments, the aerosol-forming material comprises, consists essentially of, or consists of glycerol. Glycerol provides a visible aerosol when the aerosol generating device is used. Aerosol generating devices that provide a visible aerosol are generally preferred by consumers because they allow them to visualize the product and what they are consuming. This makes glycerol a desirable choice for the aerosol-forming material. Propylene glycol has the advantage of being a better perfume carrier than glycerol.

[0119] Combinations of two or more aerosol forming agents may be used, in equal or differing proportions.

[0120] In some embodiments, the precursor material comprises at least about 1%, at least about 5%, at least about 10%, or at least about 20% by weight of aerosol-forming material (calculated on a wet weight basis). Additionally or alternatively, the precursor material may comprise up to about 40%, up to about 35%, up to about 30%, up to about 25%, up to about 20%, or up to about 10% by weight of aerosol-forming material (calculated on a wet weight basis).

[0121] In embodiments of the invention in which the aerosol-forming material is glycerol, the precursor material may contain up to 36% glycerol by weight. The inventors have demonstrated that dry weight content levels of aerosol-forming material of up to 36% by weight (calculated on a dry weight basis) are possible.

[0122] The amount of glycerol in the precursor material, and therefore in the dry aerosol material, is important because it is both an aerosol-forming material and a plasticizer. Too high a concentration of glycerol can be detrimental to the critical temperature of the product during the freeze-drying process, and can cause the product to collapse when the critical temperature of the formulation is exceeded. On the other hand, sufficient glycerol should be included to provide sufficient and pleasant aerosol to the consumer.

[0123] It is particularly surprising that precursor materials including glycerol and some other aerosol-forming materials can be freeze-dried because such materials are believed to have antifreeze properties. Nevertheless, the inventors have discovered that precursor materials including glycerol can be freeze-dried to form highly useful aerosol-generating materials.

[0124] In some embodiments, the dry aerosol-forming material may comprise at least about 1% by weight, at least about 5% by weight, at least about 10% by weight, at least about 20% by weight, at least about 30% by weight, or at least about 40% by weight of the aerosol-forming material (calculated on a dry weight basis).

[0125] In some embodiments, the dry aerosol-forming material may comprise from about 1 to about 34% by weight or from about 17 to about 34% by weight of the aerosol-forming material (calculated on a dry weight basis). In some embodiments where the aerosol-forming material is glycerol, the dry aerosol-forming material may comprise from about 13 to about 34% by weight of glycerol (calculated on a dry weight basis).

[0126] In embodiments in which burley tobacco is used, the aerosol-forming material may include about 17 to about 36% by weight glycerol. The amount of glycerol in the aerosol material is important as it is both an aerosol-forming material and a plasticizer. If the concentration of glycerol is too high, it may be detrimental to the critical temperature of the product during the freeze-drying process and may result in the collapse of the product if the critical temperature of the formulation is exceeded. On the other hand, sufficient glycerol should be included to provide a sufficient and pleasant aerosol to the consumer.

[0127] In some embodiments, the aerosol-generating material and / or the precursor material further comprises one or more excipients. In some embodiments, the excipients stabilize and preserve the precursor material, and the inventors have found that the inclusion of an excipient is particularly important for stability when the precursor material comprises glycerol as the aerosol-forming material. The excipients may also act as bulking or filler materials. In some embodiments, the inclusion of an excipient may also improve the handling properties of the dry aerosol-generating material and help the dry aerosol-generating material retain its granular morphology by helping to reduce moisture uptake and increase the resulting cohesiveness of the material. The presence of an excipient may also affect the rate of (freeze) drying.

[0128] Suitable excipients include mannitol, sucrose, trehalose, lactose, sorbitol, raffinose, maltose, dextrans such as dextran 10, dextran 70, dextran 90, maltodextrin, gelatin, agar, cyclodextrin, and polyethylene glycols such as PEG 2000-6000 and polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP10).

[0129] In some embodiments, the aerosol-forming material and / or precursor material includes one or more excipients in an amount of 0 to about 40% by weight on a wet weight basis, hi some embodiments, the precursor material may include at least about 1%, at least about 10%, at least about 20%, at least about 30%, and / or up to about 40%, up to about 30%, up to about 20%, or up to about 10% by weight of excipients on a wet weight basis.

[0130] In some embodiments, the aerosol-forming material may comprise at least about 0.1%, at least about 10%, at least about 20%, or at least about 25% by weight of excipients (calculated on a dry weight basis). In some embodiments, the aerosol-forming material may comprise up to about 25%, up to about 20%, up to about 15%, or up to about 10% by weight of excipients (calculated on a dry weight basis).

[0131] In an exemplary embodiment, the aerosol-forming material includes, on a dry weight basis, about 36% glycerol, about 45% tobacco extract, and about 19% excipients.

[0132] In another exemplary embodiment, the aerosol-forming material comprises, on a dry weight basis, from about 17 to about 39% glycerol, from about 41 to about 76% tobacco extract, and from 0 to about 28% excipients.

[0133] In embodiments where the excipient is agar, the precursor material may comprise about 0%, about 5%, or about 10% by weight of agar. The inventors have found that when the precursor material comprises a lower concentration of the agar excipient, the agar makes the precursor material more viscous and the freeze-drying process is easier.

[0134] In some embodiments, the precursor material comprises about 50% by weight tobacco extract, 0 to about 36% by weight aerosol forming agent (e.g., 0 to about 15% v / v), and 0 to about 40% by weight excipients (e.g., about 37.5% v / v). The tobacco extract may comprise about 55% by weight tobacco solids, with the total tobacco solids content of the precursor material being about 27.5% by weight.

[0135] In some embodiments, the precursor material comprises about 50% by weight tobacco extract, up to about 36% by weight (e.g., about 15% v / v) glycerol, and 0 to about 40% by weight (e.g., about 37.5% v / v) excipients. The tobacco extract may comprise about 55% by weight tobacco solids, with the total tobacco solids content of the precursor material being about 27.5% by weight.

[0136] Some sample formulations of dry aerosol-forming materials formed from aqueous tobacco extracts are summarized in Table 1 below, with amounts provided on a dry weight basis. These are theoretical values ​​(before drying and inherent losses). Typically, about 80-89% of the glycerol is retained after drying. Glycerol may be used as the aerosol-forming material, but may be replaced or partially replaced with one or more other aerosol-forming materials, such as those disclosed herein. The excipient used may be dextran, e.g., dextran 70. Again, this may be replaced or partially replaced with alternative excipients, such as those disclosed herein.

[0137] [Table 1] The nicotine content in the formulation depends on the type of tobacco used and the presence of other components, namely aerosol formers and excipients.

[0138] In some embodiments, the aerosol-generating material and / or the precursor material comprises one or more binders, hi some embodiments, the one or more binders are selected from the group consisting of thermoreversible gelling agents such as gelatin, starches, polysaccharides, pectins, cellulose, cellulose derivatives such as carboxymethylcellulose, and alginates.

[0139] In some embodiments, the aerosol-generating and / or precursor materials include one or more flavor modifiers, flavors, or flavorings, which may be derived from extracts or may be added. As used herein, the terms "flavor" and "flavoring" refer to materials that may be used, where local regulations permit, to create a desired taste, odor, or other somatic sensation in a product intended for adult consumers.They may be any naturally occurring flavoring material, botanical substance, extract of botanical substance, synthetically derived material, or combinations thereof (e.g., tobacco, cannabis, licorice, hydrangea, eugenol, magnolia leaf, chamomile, fenugreek, clove, maple, matcha, menthol, Japanese mint, aniseed, cinnamon, turmeric, Indian spices, Asian spices, herbs, wintergreen, cherry, berry, red berry, cranberry, peach, apple, orange, mango, clementine, lemon, lime). , tropical fruits, papaya, rhubarb, grapes, durian, dragon fruit, cucumber, blueberry, mulberry, citrus fruits, Drambuie, bourbon, scotch, whiskey, gin, tequila, rum, spearmint, peppermint, lavender, aloe vera, cardamom, celery, cascarilla, nutmeg, sandalwood, bergamot, geranium, khat, eggplant, betel quid, shisha, pine, honey essence, rose oil, vanilla, lemon oil, orange oil, orange blossom, cherry blossom, cassia, caraway, cognac, jasmine, ira Nile ylang, sage, fennel, wasabi, bell pepper, ginger, coriander, coffee, hemp, peppermint oil from any species of the genus Mentha, eucalyptus, star anise, cocoa, lemongrass, rooibos, flax, ginkgo, hazel, hibiscus, bay, yerba mate, orange peel, rose, tea such as green or black tea, thyme, juniper, elderflower, basil, bay leaf, cumin, oregano, paprika, rosemary, saffron, lemon peel, mint, shiso, curcuma, cilantro, myrtle, black currant, valerian, pimento, mace, damiane, marjoram, olive, lemon balm, lemon basil, chives, Calvi, verbena, tarragon, limonene, thymol, camphene), flavor enhancers, bitter taste receptor site blockers, sensory receptor site activators or stimulants, sugars and / or sugar substitutes (e.g., sucralose, acesulfame potassium, aspartame, saccharin, cyclamate, lactose, sucrose, glucose, fructose, sorbitol, or mannitol), as well as other additives such as charcoal, chlorophyll, minerals, botanicals, or breath fresheners.They may be of imitation, synthetic, or natural origin, or blends thereof. They may be in any suitable form, for example, liquid such as an oil, solid such as a powder, or gas.

[0140] In some embodiments, the flavoring comprises menthol, spearmint, and / or peppermint. In some embodiments, the flavoring comprises cucumber, blueberry, citrus, and / or red berry flavor components. In some embodiments, the flavoring comprises eugenol. In some embodiments, the flavoring comprises flavor components extracted from tobacco. In some embodiments, the flavoring comprises flavor components extracted from cannabis.

[0141] In some embodiments, the fragrance may include a sensory elicitor, which is intended to achieve somatic sensations that are usually chemically induced and perceived by stimulation of the fifth cranial nerve (trigeminal nerve) in addition to or instead of the scent or taste nerves, and may include agents that produce a heating, cooling, tingling, or numbing effect. A suitable heating agent may be, but is not limited to, vanillyl ethyl ether, and a suitable cooling agent may be, but is not limited to, eucalyptol, and WS-3.

[0142] In some embodiments, the aerosol-generating material and / or the precursor material include one or more other functional materials, which may include one or more of a pH adjuster, a colorant, a preservative, a filler, a stabilizer, and / or an antioxidant.

[0143] In some embodiments, the aerosol-forming material and / or the precursor material contains a filler component. The filler component is generally a non-tobacco component, i.e., a component that does not contain tobacco-derived raw materials. In some embodiments, the precursor material contains less than 60% filler by weight, such as 1% to 60% by weight, or 5% to 50% by weight, or 5% to 30% by weight, or 10% to 20% by weight on a wet weight basis.

[0144] When present, the filler may include one or more inorganic filler materials such as calcium carbonate, perlite, vermiculite, diatomaceous earth, colloidal silica, magnesium oxide, magnesium sulfate, magnesium carbonate, and suitable inorganic adsorbents such as molecular sieves. The filler may also include one or more organic filler materials such as wood pulp, hemp fiber, cellulose and cellulose derivatives.

[0145] In some embodiments, the dry aerosol-forming material is in the form of a gel. A gelling agent may be added to the aerosol-forming material, the precursor material, or may be optionally omitted. The gelling agent includes one or more compounds selected from cellulosic gelling agents, non-cellulosic gelling agents, guar gum, acacia gum, and mixtures thereof.

[0146] In some embodiments, the cellulosic gelling agent is selected from the group consisting of hydroxymethylcellulose, hydroxyethylcellulose, hydroxypropylcellulose, carboxymethylcellulose (CMC), hydroxypropylmethylcellulose (HPMC), methylcellulose, ethylcellulose, cellulose acetate (CA), cellulose acetate butyrate (CAB), cellulose acetate propionate (CAP), and combinations thereof.

[0147] In some embodiments, the gelling agent comprises (or is) one or more of hydroxyethyl cellulose, hydroxypropyl cellulose, hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (HPMC), carboxymethyl cellulose, guar gum, or acacia gum.

[0148] In some embodiments, the gelling agent comprises (or is) one or more non-cellulosic gelling agents, including, but not limited to, agar, xanthan gum, gum arabic, guar gum, locust bean gum, pectin, carrageenan, starch, alginate, and combinations thereof. In preferred embodiments, the non-cellulosic gelling agent is alginate or agar.

[0149] The aerosol-generating material and / or the precursor material may include an acid. The acid may be an organic acid. In some of these embodiments, the acid may be at least one of a monoprotic acid, a diprotic acid, and a triprotic acid. In some such embodiments, the acid may contain at least one carboxyl functional group. In some such embodiments, the acid may be at least one of an alpha-hydroxy acid, a carboxylic acid, a dicarboxylic acid, a tricarboxylic acid, and a keto acid. In some such embodiments, the acid may be an alpha-keto acid.

[0150] In some such embodiments, the acid may be at least one of succinic acid, lactic acid, benzoic acid, citric acid, tartaric acid, fumaric acid, levulinic acid, acetic acid, malic acid, formic acid, sorbic acid, benzoic acid, propanoic acid, and pyruvic acid. In some embodiments, the acid is selected from one of lactic acid, benzoic acid, and levulinic acid.

[0151] In other embodiments, the acid may be an inorganic acid. In some of these embodiments, the acid may be a mineral acid. In some such embodiments, the acid may be at least one of sulfuric acid, hydrochloric acid, boric acid, and phosphoric acid.

[0152] The inclusion of an acid can be beneficial in embodiments in which the aerosol-generating material and / or precursor material includes nicotine. In such embodiments, the presence of an acid can stabilize dissolved species in the slurry from which the aerosol-generating material is formed. The presence of an acid can reduce or substantially prevent evaporation of nicotine during drying of the slurry, thereby reducing loss of nicotine during production.

[0153] In certain embodiments, the aerosol forming material comprises a gelling agent comprising a cellulosic and / or non-cellulosic gelling agent, an active agent, and an acid.

[0154] The dry aerosol-generating material may be in any solid form. For example, the aerosol-generating material may be in the form of particles, granules, or powder. The aerosol-generating material may be in monolithic form, tablet, agglomerate, or "cake" form. In some embodiments, the aerosol-generating material is formed by freeze-drying or spray-drying, and then processed as necessary by other suitable steps known to those skilled in the art to provide the dry material in the desired form, e.g., in the form of particles of the desired size(s).

[0155] In some embodiments, the aerosol-generating material is in the form of particles or granules. The granules can be of any size, cross-sectional shape, or mass. Aerosol-generating materials in the form of granules are advantageous due to their high surface area to volume ratio, which positively impacts the release of volatile substances from the material. This form also facilitates the incorporation of the material into an aerosol delivery system.

[0156] Smaller granule particles have a greater surface area to volume ratio and therefore may exhibit enhanced release of tobacco constituents compared to larger sized particles. They also have a greater tendency to adhere to surfaces, such as the rough surface of a substrate.

[0157] In some embodiments, the particles in the precursor composition have an average particle size of about 3 mm or less, 1 mm or less, 500 μm or less, about 200 μm or less, 100 μm or less, about 50 μm or less, 40 μm or less, about 30 μm or less, 20 μm or less, about 10 μm or less, about 5 μm or less, or desirably have an average particle size of about 1 μm or less, as measured by sieving.

[0158] In some embodiments, the average particle size is in the range of about 0.1 μm to about 1 mm, about 1 μm to about 500 μm, about 10 μm to about 200 μm, about 10 μm to about 100 μm, or about 10 μm to about 50 μm. In some embodiments, at least about 90% of the particles of the precursor composition have a particle size in the range of about 1 μm to about 1 mm, or about 10 to about 500 μm, or about 50 to about 200 μm. In some embodiments, at least about 90% of the tobacco particles of the precursor composition have a particle size in the range of about 1 μm to about 1 mm, or about 10 to about 500 μm, or about 50 to about 200 μm. In some embodiments, none of the particles in the precursor composition have a particle size greater than 1 mm, greater than 0.5 mm, greater than 0.2 mm, greater than 0.15 mm, or greater than about 0.1 mm. In some embodiments, the average particle size is less than 50 μm.

[0159] When preparing the dried precursor composition, the particle size of any solid material present can be reduced by grinding, shredding, cutting or crushing the plant material. Suitable machines for making such plant particles include, for example, shredders, cutters, or mills, such as hammer mills, roller mills or other types of commercially available milling machines. The size of the plant particles can be readily prepared from a variety of different types of plant material having the properties described herein and can be selected to result in particles that provide a source of readily released plant components.

[0160] Smaller size particles of the aerosol-generating material may be advantageous for aerosol generation. Without wishing to be bound by any particular theory, smaller particles may have a larger surface area to volume ratio, which may improve aerosol generation. In some embodiments, the dry aerosol-generating material readily forms particles having an average size of less than 1 mm. In some embodiments, the particles may be as small as 10 μm, or as small as 1 μm. The size of the particles may be determined by sieving or by observing the particles with a SEM.

[0161] In the context of the present invention, smaller particles of solid aerosol-generating material may be preferred. Particle adhesion between a particle and a surface or between particles involves a variety of different forces, including van der Waals forces, diffusion, mechanical interactions, and electrostatic attraction. At least some of these forces are generally stronger the greater the surface energy of the particle, which is related to the size of the particle. In essence, smaller particles tend to be more "sticky". Thus, in some embodiments, the particles of the aerosol-generating material have a particle size of 50 μm or less, 40 μm or less, 30 μm or less, 20 μm or less, or 10 μm or less. Such small particle sizes also mean that the rough surface of the support does not need to have large pores or irregularities to accommodate particles of such dimensions.

[0162] In some embodiments, the lyophilized precursor material can be ground into particles and sieved to remove particles that are deemed too small or too large for use as an aerosol generating material.

[0163] In some embodiments, the aerosol-generating material used in the present invention has a particle size distribution D10 of about 5 to about 25 μm (meaning that 10% of the particles in the test sample are smaller than the value), a particle size distribution D50 of about 30 to about 200 μm (meaning that 50% of the particles in the test sample are smaller than the value), and a particle size distribution D90 of about 500 to about 2500 μm (meaning that 90% of the particles in the test sample are smaller than the value). These values ​​are determined using a particle size analyzer, Microtrac CamSizer® X2. The percentages referred to herein are volume percentages.

[0164] In some embodiments, the lyophilized material used as an aerosol generating material according to the present invention has a particle size distribution, D10, of about 8 to about 15 μm, a particle size distribution, D50, of about 50 to about 150 μm, and a particle size distribution, D90, of about 900 to about 1700 μm.

[0165] In some embodiments, the D10 average is from about 10 to about 15 μm, the D50 average is from about 40 to about 140 μm, and the D90 average is from about 800 to about 1600 μm.

[0166] Spray drying and freeze drying The drying method used to dry the precursor material can be any suitable drying process, including freeze-drying or spray-drying processes. The drying process used must be compatible with the desired composition of the precursor material and the aerosol-forming material. Because it may be desirable for the aerosol-forming material to contain actives and / or flavorings from extracts in the precursor material, it is important to select a drying method that retains sufficient amounts of these components.

[0167] In a small scale example, the precursor material is freeze-dried using a freeze-drying microscope, for example a Lyostat freeze-drying microscope.

[0168] In the spray drying process, precursor material is atomized and dried rapidly using hot gas. The use of spray drying provides several advantages to the present invention, such as the dried particle size can be controlled and consistent, tobacco or flavor extracts or materials are heat sensitive but can still be spray dried at relatively high inlet temperatures, short residence times are required in the spray drying equipment, and loss of flavor / volatiles is minimal. This makes the process adaptable to reduce loss of volatile compounds and maintain the desired flavor of the aerosol-generating material.

[0169] Lyophilization, also known as cryodesication, is a process in which precursor materials are frozen, the temperature is reduced, and water is removed by sublimation under reduced pressure conditions. Without wishing to be bound by any particular theory, it is believed that the low processing temperature and rapid water loss by sublimation avoids changes in the structure, appearance and properties of the aerosol-forming material. This process preserves the structure of the precursor materials and reduces the loss and decomposition of volatile flavor compounds.

[0170] The dry aerosol-forming material has a lower water content than the precursor material. The water content of the aerosol-forming material may be up to about 0.5%, about 1%, about 2%, about 5%, about 10%, or about 20% by weight (calculated on a wet weight basis). The water content of the dry aerosol-forming material may be reduced by at least about 50%, about 60%, about 70%, about 80%, about 90%, about 95%, about 98%, or about 100% by weight from the precursor material. In some embodiments, the dry aerosol-forming material has a water content of less than about 5%, less than about 4%, less than about 3%, less than about 2%, or less than about 1% by weight (calculated on a wet weight basis) as measured by gas chromatography-thermal conductivity detector (GC-TCD) or Karl Fischer titration.

[0171] In an exemplary embodiment of the invention, the precursor material comprises Burley tobacco extract and has a moisture content of 60% by weight. After the freeze-drying operation described herein, the dry aerosol-forming material has a moisture content of 3% by weight.

[0172] A lower moisture content of the dry aerosol-generating material is associated with shelf life and stability. However, a very low moisture content may be associated with a brittle structure and smaller particle size, as well as longer processing times. The material is also very hygroscopic. On the other hand, if the moisture content of the dry aerosol-generating material is too high, the desired stability improvement may not be achieved. The dry aerosol-generating material is also not easy to handle at higher moisture contents, and the material may become sticky.

[0173] The inventors have found that when a precursor material includes an excipient, the precursor material may be more suitable for drying by spray drying (compared to a precursor material that does not include an excipient). Without wishing to be bound by any particular theory, it is speculated that increasing the amount of excipient in the precursor material increases the glass transition temperature above 100° C., which affects the physical properties of the material making it more suitable for spray drying.

[0174] Application of aerosol-generating material to a substrate In some embodiments, the aerosol-generating material is applied or deposited on the surface of the support in the form of particles. In such cases, aerosol-generating materials prepared by either spray drying or freeze drying can be used. It may be necessary to adjust the particle size of the dried material to a specific size or size range that matches the surface irregularities of the support. The particle size may be selected to allow inter-particle forces, such as von der Waals forces, to adhere the particles to the surface of the support.

[0175] In some embodiments, the average particle size of the aerosol-forming material on the substrate is from about 1 μm to about 1 mm, from about 10 μm to about 500 μm, or from about 50 μm to about 200 μm, as measured by sieving. The average can be number average or volume average.

[0176] Particles of the aerosol-generating material can be sprinkled or sprayed onto the surface of the support. In some embodiments, a binder can be used to enhance the bond between the surface of the support and the aerosol-generating material. In some embodiments, the binder can be applied to the aerosol-generating material and / or the support before the aerosol-generating material and / or the support are brought into contact. In other embodiments, the binder can be applied, for example by spraying, once the aerosol-generating material is deposited on the support.

[0177] In some embodiments, the one or more binders are selected from the group consisting of thermoreversible gelling agents such as gelatin, starch, polysaccharides, pectin, cellulose, cellulose derivatives such as carboxymethylcellulose, and alginates.

[0178] In some embodiments, the amount of binder used to adhere the aerosol-forming material to the substrate is about 1 to about 30% by weight, based on the weight of the aerosol-forming material. In some embodiments, the amount of binder used is up to about 20%, up to about 15%, up to about 10% by weight of the aerosol-forming material. Additionally or alternatively, the amount of binder, if used, may be at least about 1%, at least about 2%, at least about 5%, or at least about 8% by weight of the aerosol-forming material.

[0179] In other embodiments, the aerosol-generating material can be dried in situ on the support. In such embodiments, freeze-drying is a suitable drying process. This process of applying or depositing the aerosol-generating material results in the material on the support being in the form of a coating on the surface of the support.

[0180] In some embodiments, the aerosol-generating material is applied or deposited on the substrate at multiple spaced regions of the substrate's surface to form separate portions of the aerosol-generating material. Each of these portions can generate aerosol for a single puff or sufficient aerosol for a series of puffs. In some embodiments, the substrate may allow portions of the aerosol-generating material to be heated independently. In other embodiments, the portions may be heated together, but the aerosol-generating materials may be formulated or provided in forms that generate different aerosols and / or may generate aerosols at different times or at different rates.

[0181] Moisture-proof In some embodiments, the substrate further comprises a material that prevents or reduces absorption of moisture by the dry aerosol-forming material.

[0182] In some embodiments, the hygroscopic aerosol-forming material has a water content of about 10% or less, or about 5% or less (calculated on a wet weight basis), as measured by gas chromatography-thermal conductivity detector (GC-TCD) or Karl Fischer titration. This water content is stable in embodiments in which the substrate further comprises a material that prevents or reduces the absorption of moisture by the dry aerosol-forming material, meaning that the water content of the aerosol-forming material is within this range not only when initially prepared, but also after incorporation into the aerosol product, transportation, and storage. This stable water content is observed despite the fact that the hygroscopic aerosol-forming material rapidly absorbs moisture when exposed to the environment, even under "normal" humidity conditions. Indeed, when an aerosol-forming material is described as hygroscopic, this means that it rapidly absorbs water from the surrounding environment, significantly increasing its water content. For example, when a substrate containing an aerosol-forming material is exposed to the environment (e.g., upon storage in an open container, etc.), the water content rapidly increases to greater than 20% or greater than 25% (calculated on a wet weight basis) as measured by gas chromatography-thermal conductivity detector (GC-TCD) or Karl Fischer titration.

[0183] Typically, it is not necessary to protect conventional aerosol-generating materials from moisture in the surrounding environment. This is because conventional aerosol-generating materials are not hygroscopic and are not particularly sensitive to moisture. Furthermore, humectants such as glycerol are often included in conventional aerosol-generating materials in appropriate amounts to target a specific moisture level in the aerosol-generating material. The highly concentrated nature of the dry aerosol-generating materials used in the present invention means that even small amounts of moisture absorption can be very detrimental to the properties of the aerosol-generating material and the quality of the aerosol produced. Furthermore, water absorption can occur to such an extent that the dry powder takes on a paste-like consistency, which is undesirable in the compositions and consumables described herein.

[0184] Preventing or reducing the absorption of water by the aerosol-forming material also helps manage or avoid the phenomenon known as "hot puffs."

[0185] In some embodiments, the substrates disclosed herein further include a moisture impermeable coating surrounding the aerosol-forming material, which creates a moisture impermeable barrier around the dry aerosol-forming material.

[0186] The physical and chemical properties of the coating material are important. In addition to forming a moisture-impermeable coating, the coating must also be stable and remain in place during the period between manufacture and use by the consumer. In some embodiments, it is desirable for the moisture-impermeable coating to become moisture-permeable when the aerosol-generating material is heated to generate an aerosol. This is necessary to ensure that the aerosol can be released. In some embodiments, the coating is made moisture-permeable by melting or other decomposition of the coating material or at least a portion of the coating.

[0187] In some embodiments, degradation of the coating involves the coating losing its physical integrity such that it no longer forms a barrier around the aerosol-generating material, which may involve, for example, melting, disappearing, disintegrating, or otherwise decomposing the coating.

[0188] It may be expected that the integrity of the moisture-impermeable coating may be compromised when the coating material is heated to its melting point. Thus, the coating material should be selected so that the moisture-impermeable coating remains intact when exposed to normal environmental temperatures. Thus, in some embodiments, the coating material used must be one that forms a stable moisture-impermeable coating at temperatures below 40 or 50° C. In some embodiments, it may be desirable to select a coating material that forms a moisture-impermeable coating that remains intact during the more extreme temperatures that may be encountered during storage and transportation, for example, temperatures between 60 and 80° C.

[0189] In some embodiments, to avoid overheating of moisture present in the coated aerosol-generating material, a moisture-impermeable coating can become moisture-permeable when the temperature is raised to about 100-110° C. In some embodiments, the coating opens rapidly upon heating to form an aerosol. This reduces the likelihood that the coating will impede volatilization and the resulting release of gas or vapor.

[0190] In some embodiments, the temperature at which a moisture impermeable coating becomes moisture permeable, for example as a result of decomposition, is at least about 50°C, at least about 60°C, at least about 70°C, at least about 80°C, at least about 90°C, at least about 100°C, at least about 110°C, at least about 120°C, at least about 130°C, at least about 140°C, at least about 150°C, at least about 160°C, at least about 170°C, at least about 180°C, at least about 190°C, or at least about 200°C.

[0191] Additionally or alternatively, the temperature at which a moisture impermeable coating becomes moisture permeable, for example as a result of decomposition, is about 280°C or less, about 270°C or less, about 260°C or less, about 250°C or less, about 240°C or less, about 230°C or less, about 220°C or less, about 210°C or less or 200°C or less, about 190°C or less, about 180°C or less, about 170°C or less, about 160°C or less, about 150°C or less, about 140°C or less, about 130°C or less, about 120°C or less, about 110°C or less, or about 100°C or less.

[0192] In some embodiments, the moisture impermeable coating comprises one or more selected from the group consisting of polysaccharide or cellulosic materials or derivatives thereof, gums, protein materials, polyol matrix materials, waxes, wax esters, and polymers.

[0193] Suitable polysaccharides include, for example, agar, agarose, pectin, freudan, furcellan, alginate, carrageenan, starch, dextran, maltodextrin and cyclodextrin. Suitable cellulose-based materials include, for example, methylcellulose, ethylcellulose, hydroxypropylcellulose, carboxymethylcellulose, hydroxypropylmethylcellulose (HPMC), hydroxyethylcellulose (HEC), cellulose acetate butyrate (CAB), cellulose acetate phthalate (CAP), cellulose acetate trimellitate (CAT) and cellulose acetate succinate (CAS), and cellulose ethers. Suitable modified starches include, for example, high amylose starch, hydroxypropylated starch, octenyl succinate modified starch, starch esters and starch-based polyelectrolyte complexes (SPEC). Suitable gums include, for example, gum arabic (acacia gum), guar gum, karaya gum, tragacanth gum, ghatti gum, quince seed gum, locust bean gum, and xanthan gum. Suitable proteins include zein and gelatin. Suitable polyol matrices may be formed from polyvinyl alcohol. Suitable waxes include, for example, palmitic acid, carnauba wax, beeswax, candelilla wax, and paraffin wax. Suitable wax esters include, for example, cetyl palmitate and triacontanyl palmitate. Suitable polymers include, for example, shellac, lignin, polyvinyl alcohol, polyurethane, polymerized, hydrolyzed ethylene vinyl acetate, polyester, polycarbonate, polymethacrylate, polyglycol, polyethylene, polystyrene, polypropylene, and polyvinyl chloride. Suitable copolymers include, for example, methacrylic acid copolymers and acrylic acid copolymers.

[0194] In some embodiments, the coating material comprises an additive that is released when the substrate is heated, and thus contributes to the aerosol generated.For example, the coating material may comprise an active material, including one or more of the active materials described elsewhere herein.In addition or alternatively, the coating material may comprise a flavoring, including one or more of the flavorings and flavorings described elsewhere herein.In some embodiments, the flavoring added to the coating is a hydrophobic flavoring.This may mean that the flavoring further enhances the moisture impermeability of the coating.

[0195] Since the intent of the coating is to prevent or retard the adsorption of moisture by the aerosol-forming material, in some embodiments the moisture impermeable coating completely encapsulates the aerosol-forming material. Although an incomplete coating may retard moisture absorption sufficiently to provide some benefit, in preferred embodiments the coating should cover at least 80%, at least 90%, at least 95%, or at least 99% of the surface area of ​​the aerosol-forming material.

[0196] In some embodiments, the moisture impermeable coating prevents the dry aerosol-forming material from absorbing moisture from the surrounding environment.

[0197] Ideally, the coating is thick enough to impart the desired moisture impermeability, which in some embodiments further influences the temperature at which the coating becomes moisture permeable, allowing volatile components generated by heating the dry aerosol-forming material to be released from the substrate.

[0198] In some embodiments, the thickness of the coating can also affect the rate at which the coating becomes moisture permeable once exposed to decomposition temperatures, which can allow for control of the release rate of volatile components from the heated aerosol-forming material.

[0199] In some embodiments, the moisture impermeable coating has a thickness of about 1 μm to about 100 μm.

[0200] In some embodiments, the coating thickness is at least about 1 μm, at least about 5 μm, at least about 10 μm, at least about 15 μm, at least about 20 μm, at least about 25 μm, at least about 30 μm, at least about 35 μm, or at least about 40 μm. Additionally or alternatively, the coating thickness is at most about 100 μm, at most about 90 μm, at most about 80 μm, at most about 75 μm, at most about 70 μm, at most about 65 μm, at most about 60 μm, at most about 55 μm, at most about 50 μm, at most about 45 μm, or at most about 40 μm. In some embodiments, the coating thickness is about 5 to about 50 μm.

[0201] For some materials, the minimum thickness of the coating may be determined by the thickness necessary to ensure that the coating is moisture impermeable or sufficiently moisture impermeable to protect the enclosed aerosol-generating material. For some materials, the maximum thickness of the coating may be determined by the time necessary to ensure that the coating is open enough to allow the vapor or aerosol generated by heating the aerosol-generating material to be generated and released. For this reason, thicker coatings may be less preferred in some embodiments.

[0202] In some embodiments, the thickness of the moisture impermeable coating applied to the aerosol-forming material may be substantially uniform, for example, varying by no more than 20%, 15%, 10%, or 5%.

[0203] In other embodiments, the thickness of the moisture impermeable coating applied to the aerosol-generating material may vary by 50% or more. In some embodiments, this results in a coating that does not degrade uniformly. For example, areas where the coating is thinner may tend to degrade faster. This may help achieve a more gradual and sustained release of the aerosol generated by heating the substrate containing the aerosol-generating material.

[0204] In some embodiments, the substrate comprises multiple discrete portions of aerosol-generating material, each coated with the same material. Additionally or alternatively, the substrate comprises multiple discrete portions of aerosol-generating material, each coated with a coating of the same thickness.

[0205] In other embodiments, the substrate comprises multiple discrete portions of aerosol-generating material, including at least two portions coated with different coating materials. Additionally or alternatively, the substrate comprises multiple discrete portions of aerosol-generating material, including at least two portions having coatings of different thicknesses.

[0206] To control the release of volatiles from the aerosol-generating material upon heating, in some embodiments, coatings on different portions of the aerosol-generating material can decompose at different temperatures or at different rates to control the release of volatile components generated by heating the substrate.

[0207] In some embodiments, sustained and controlled release of a volatile component can be achieved by a substrate comprising discrete portions of dry aerosol-forming material surrounded by coatings of different thicknesses.

[0208] Alternatively or additionally, sustained and controlled release of the volatile component may be achieved by a substrate comprising discrete portions of dry aerosol-forming material surrounded by a coating comprising a different coating material.

[0209] Thus, the substrates disclosed herein may include one or more coatings to provide a predictable and consistent release of active and / or flavor ingredients upon heating and over the course of a heating session, meaning that the aerosol generating system can reliably provide a consistent aerosol regardless of the length of time the substrate has been stored or the conditions under which it has been stored prior to use.

[0210] The coating can be applied to the substrate using any conventional coating process. For example, the coating material may be applied by spray coating, gas aerosolized coating, tumbling (or rumble) coating in a rotating drum, or a fluidized bed coating process by immersion in a bath of the coating material.

[0211] In some embodiments, the coating is applied directly to the surface of the aerosol-generating material.

[0212] In some embodiments, the coating is applied to the surface of the aerosol-generating material in the form of a powder. In such embodiments, the average particle size of the coating powder is from about 100 nm to about 50 μm. In some embodiments, the average particle size of the coating powder is at least about 100 nm, at least about 200 nm, at least about 300 nm, at least about 400 nm, at least about 500 nm, at least about 600 nm, at least about 700 nm, at least about 800 nm, at least about 900 nm, at least about 1 μm, at least about 2 μm, at least about 3 μm, at least about 4 μm, at least about 5 μm, at least about 10 μm, at least about 15 μm, at least about 20 μm, at least about 25 μm, at least about 30 μm, at least about 35 μm, or at least about 40 μm.

[0213] Additionally or alternatively, the average particle size of the coating powder is about 50 μm or less, about 45 μm or less, about 40 μm or less, about 35 μm or less, about 30 μm or less, about 25 μm or less, about 20 μm or less, about 15 μm or less, about 10 μm or less, about 5 μm or less, about 4 μm or less, about 3 μm or less, about 2 μm or less, or about 1 μm or less.

[0214] In some embodiments, the coating adheres to the surface of the aerosol-generating material by inter-particle forces, such as van der Waals forces. In some embodiments, the surface of the aerosol-generating material is sticky, such that particles of the coating material adhere easily to the surface to form a complete or substantially complete coating. The stickiness of the aerosol-generating material can be adjusted by adjusting the moisture content of the aerosol-generating material at the time the coating is applied.

[0215] In other embodiments, the moisture impermeable coating is formed as part of a drying step in the preparation of the aerosol-generating material. For example, a moisture impermeable coating-forming material may be included in the precursor material and form a coating when the precursor material dries. This may require that the aerosol-generating material and the coating material have chemical properties that ensure the coating material migrates to the surface of the dried material such that it surrounds the dried aerosol-generating material. For example, in some embodiments, the coating material is a non-polar and / or hydrophobic material that may be included in the precursor material that is dried.

[0216] As discussed above, the moisture impermeable coating has the advantage of protecting the aerosol-generating material from moisture and the adverse effects it may have on the material and the aerosol generated when heated. The coating can also control the release of the aerosol generated by heating the aerosol-generating material, as discussed above. In addition, there are other advantages provided by the coatings described herein. The aerosol-generating material may be sticky or tacky. This can make the material difficult to process and handle. A coating applied to the surface of the aerosol-generating material covers this tackiness, making the substrate more easily processed and handled. As a result, it may be preferable to add a coating after the aerosol-generating material has been applied to the substrate.

[0217] Coatings can also increase the structural integrity of the aerosol-generating material: they provide additional support and strength to the aerosol-generating material on the substrate, reducing the tendency of particles to break off and form dust that can be harmful to the products and machines used to make them.

[0218] In an alternative or additional approach to protecting the aerosol-forming material from moisture, the substrates described herein include an adsorbent material that is intended to absorb or adsorb moisture from the environment, thus reducing the exposure of the aerosol-forming material to moisture and therefore reducing absorption of moisture by the aerosol-forming material prior to its use.

[0219] Competition for moisture between the aerosol-forming material and the adsorbent material means that the amount of moisture absorbed by the aerosol-forming material is reduced: the higher the affinity of the adsorbent for water, the more moisture the adsorbent will adsorb or absorb, and the less moisture will be available for the aerosol-forming material to absorb.

[0220] In some embodiments, the adsorbent material is more hygroscopic than the aerosol-generating material. For example, dynamic vapor sorption (DVS) is a gravimetric method that can be used to measure the rate at which a sample of material absorbs water by varying the water vapor concentration surrounding the sample and measuring the resulting change in mass. DVS can be used to measure the water absorption rates of both the adsorbent material and the aerosol-generating material. In preferred embodiments, the water absorption rate of the adsorbent material is preferably faster than the water absorption rate of the aerosol-generating material.

[0221] In particular, the water absorption rate of the adsorbent material is preferably at least about 20% RH, at least about 30% RH, at least about 40% RH, or at least about 50% RH faster than the water absorption rate of the aerosol-forming material.

[0222] In some embodiments, the sorbent material not only absorbs or adsorbs moisture, but also prevents the release of this water (as vapor) in a manner that may impede the desired aerosol generated by heating the aerosol-generating material. Thus, in some embodiments, the sorbent retains the captured moisture while the aerosol-generating material is heated to form the aerosol. Thus, in some embodiments, the sorbent material retains the absorbed or adsorbed moisture at temperatures up to about 200° C., up to about 250° C., up to about 300° C., up to about 325° C., or up to about 350° C. In other embodiments, the sorbent releases water at temperatures between about 100° C. and about 150° C., thereby releasing water at a temperature below the temperature at which the first puff of aerosol is generated for inhalation by the consumer.

[0223] In some embodiments, the adsorbent material is a desiccant.

[0224] Suitable adsorbent materials may include one or more selected from the group consisting of silica gel, molecular sieves, activated carbon, zeolites, sodium acrylate, and simple salts such as alkaline earth metal or alkali metal salts, carbonates and hydroxides, carbonates and hydrides, such as calcium chloride, sodium chloride, magnesium sulfate, potassium carbonate, and sodium hydroxide. These adsorbent materials are suitable for inclusion in compositions that are heated to generate aerosols for inhalation by consumers. In some embodiments, the adsorbent material is stable at the temperatures to which the composition is exposed when heated to generate aerosols. Thus, in such embodiments, the adsorbent does not decompose, melt, or otherwise disintegrate when exposed to high temperatures during use of the composition.

[0225] In some embodiments, the substrate comprises an adsorbent material on the surface of the aerosol-generating material. For example, the adsorbent material may form a partial or incomplete coating that surrounds a portion of the aerosol-generating material on the support. The partial or incomplete coating means that the aerosol generated by heating the aerosol-generating material can be released from the substrate and is available for inhalation. In some embodiments, the partial coating is in the form of a permeable network. This ensures that the adsorbent is present on the surface of the aerosol-generating material but does not prevent the volatile substances generated by heating the aerosol-generating material from being released.

[0226] If the adsorbent material swells upon absorbing moisture, it may be desirable to provide a coating that does not result in complete coating as a result of swelling of the adsorbent material. Thus, in some embodiments, it may be desirable for the adsorbent coating to be sufficiently incomplete to ensure that the aerosol-generating material is exposed and may not end up completely surrounded by the adsorbent material.

[0227] In some embodiments, the substrate comprises an adsorbent material in the form of particles. These particles may be included, for example, with the aerosol-generating material on a support. In some embodiments, the adsorbent and the aerosol-generating material are homogeneously mixed. In other embodiments, the particles of the adsorbent are present only on a portion of the surface of the aerosol-generating material. In some embodiments, the adsorbent particles can be concentrated in one or more locations to increase exposure to ambient moisture. This may mean that moisture is more easily absorbed or adsorbed by the adsorbent material than by the aerosol-generating material.

[0228] In some embodiments, the substrate comprises one or more sorbent particles or granules, hi some embodiments, the sorbent particles have an average size of at least about 50 nm, at least about 100 nm, at least about 200 nm, at least about 500 nm, at least about 1 μm, at least about 10 μm, at least about 50 μm, at least about 100 μm, at least about 200 μm, at least about 500 μm, at least about 600 μm, at least about 700 μm, at least about 800 μm, at least about 900 μm, or at least about 1 mm.

[0229] Additionally or alternatively, the sorbent particles have an average size of about 3 mm or less, about 2.5 mm or less, about 2 mm or less, about 1.5 mm or less, about 1 mm or less, about 900 μm or less, about 800 μm or less, about 700 μm or less, about 600 μm or less, or about 500 μm or less.

[0230] In some embodiments, the amount of adsorbent material present on the substrate is between about 5% and about 50% by weight of the aerosol-forming material. In some embodiments, the amount of adsorbent material present on the substrate is at least about 5%, at least about 10%, at least about 15%, at least about 20%, at least about 25%, or at least about 30% based on the total weight of the aerosol-forming material. Alternatively or additionally, the amount of adsorbent material present on the substrate is about 50% or less, about 45% or less, about 40% or less, about 35% or less, about 30% or less, about 25% or less, or about 20% or less based on the total weight of the aerosol-forming material.

[0231] The amount of sorbent that can be included can be limited by the potential swelling of the sorbent material as it absorbs moisture. This increase in size of the sorbent increases the volume of the substrate that contains the aerosol generating material and the sorbent material. In extreme situations where a large amount of sorbent is included on the substrate and in an environment with high moisture levels, the expansion of the sorbent can cause problems such as the consumable no longer fitting into the aerosol delivery device or the airflow through the composition is reduced, compromising the release of the aerosol.

[0232] In some embodiments, the sorbent may be incorporated into the aerosol-generating material by including it in a precursor composition that is dried, for example by lyophilization, along with an extract from the active and / or flavor-containing plant material. Alternatively, as described above, the sorbent may be blended with the aerosol-generating material after it has been dried into a powder form. In yet another embodiment, the sorbent may be added as a coating that surrounds or partially surrounds the aerosol-generating material on a support.

[0233] Alternatively, the sorbent may be provided separately from the aerosol-generating material in the consumable, but in such a way that the sorbent still competes with the aerosol-generating material for moisture in the environment, thus reducing the amount of moisture absorbed by the aerosol-generating material. In some embodiments, the sorbent may be provided in or on a wrapper that surrounds the aerosol-generating material in the consumable. In other embodiments, the sorbent may be incorporated in a separate section of the consumable to the aerosol-generating material, for example, the sorbent may be included in a part of the substrate or in a part of the consumable that is not heated. This may have the advantage of reducing the exposure of the sorbent to the high temperatures to which the aerosol-generating material is heated during use. For example, the sorbent may be located in an adjacent section of the consumable that is not directly heated. This may be downstream or upstream of the aerosol-generating material. In some embodiments, the sorbent is included in one or more sections of the consumable that do not include the aerosol-generating material, such as a cooling element section or a filter section.

[0234] In yet another embodiment, the sorbent may be separated or removed from the aerosol-generating material, substrate, and / or consumable prior to use. For example, the sorbent may be disposed within the packaging in which the consumable is held prior to use. In some embodiments, the packaging may be a wrapper, box, or other container. The sorbent may be incorporated into the packaging material or part thereof. Alternatively, the sorbent may be provided in a separate article, such as a sachet or sheet, that is placed with the consumable within the packaging.

[0235] Use of the composition Substrates comprising aerosol-forming materials and supports can be used in combustion or non-combustion aerosol delivery systems, or in aerosol-free delivery systems.

[0236] The invention also relates to a consumable or article that includes an aerosol-forming material and a substrate that includes a rough and / or porous surface.

[0237] In some embodiments, the substrate is provided in a consumable product. Alternatively, the substrate may be used as a consumable product.

[0238] A consumable is an article that includes an aerosol-generating material, where some or all of the aerosol-generating material is intended to be consumed during use by a user, where the aerosol-generating material, or at least a portion of the aerosol-generating material, is provided as part of a substrate disclosed herein that includes an aerosol-generating material and a support.

[0239] The consumable may include one or more other components, such as an aerosol-generating material storage area, an aerosol-generating material transfer component, an aerosol-generating area, a housing, a wrapper, a mouthpiece, a filter, and / or an aerosol modifier. The consumable may also include an aerosol generator, such as a heater that generates heat during use to cause the aerosol-generating material to generate an aerosol. The heater may include, for example, a combustible material, a material heatable by electrical conduction, or a susceptor. As discussed above, at least some of these components of the consumable may be components of the substrate described herein.

[0240] The consumable may be of any shape or size suitable for the aerosol generating device. In some embodiments, the consumable is rod-shaped. In other embodiments, it may take the form of a flat strip, a tube, or a flexible sleeve.

[0241] In some embodiments, the substrate comprising the aerosol-generating material and the support is provided in an aerosol-generating device, such as a tobacco heating product (THP) or a hybrid e-cigarette product. Suitably, the substrate can be directly heated without combustion to provide an inhalable aerosol. In some embodiments, heating the substrate first decomposes the coating, breaking the barrier formed around the aerosol-generating material. The aerosolized components of the aerosol-generating material, such as glycerol, nicotine, and / or tobacco flavorings, are then released.

[0242] In some embodiments, the substrate including the aerosol-forming material and support may be incorporated into a consumable product without any other carrier or other materials that need to be heated.

[0243] In some embodiments, the consumable includes a moisture impermeable coating that surrounds the substrate and / or aerosol-forming material, but may be separate from the substrate and / or aerosol-forming material. For example, the moisture impermeable coating may surround the substrate (and thereby surround the aerosol-forming material contained in or on the substrate). In some embodiments, the moisture impermeable coating may be provided as a film or wrapper, and may optionally be deposited on a moisture permeable carrier.

[0244] In some embodiments, the consumable includes a sorbent or desiccant material. As mentioned above, the sorbent or desiccant material can be provided in the substrate. Alternatively, the sorbent or desiccant material may be provided separately in the consumable, but in such a way that the sorbent still competes with the aerosol-generating material for moisture in the environment, thus reducing the amount of moisture absorbed by the aerosol-generating material. In some embodiments, the sorbent may be provided in or on a wrapper that surrounds the aerosol-generating material in the consumable. In other embodiments, the sorbent may be incorporated in a separate section of the consumable relative to the aerosol-generating material. This may have the advantage of reducing the exposure of the sorbent to the high temperatures to which the aerosol-generating material is heated during use. For example, the sorbent may be located in an adjacent section of the consumable that is not directly heated. This may be downstream or upstream of the aerosol-generating material. In some embodiments, the sorbent is included in one or more sections of the consumable that do not include the aerosol-generating material, such as a cooling element section or a filter section.

[0245] In yet another embodiment, the sorbent may be separated or removed from the aerosol-generating material and / or consumable prior to use. For example, the sorbent may be disposed within the packaging in which the consumable is held prior to use. In some embodiments, the packaging may be a wrapper, box, or other container. The sorbent may be incorporated into the packaging material or part thereof. Alternatively, the sorbent may be provided in a separate article, such as a sachet or sheet, that is placed with the consumable within the packaging.

[0246] Delivery System The delivery systems described herein can be combustion aerosol delivery systems, non-combustion aerosol delivery systems, or aerosol-free delivery systems.

[0247] As used herein, the term "delivery system" is intended to encompass a system that delivers at least one substance to a user, Combustion aerosol delivery systems, such as cigarettes, cigarillos, cigars, and tobacco for pipes or for roll-your-own or hand-made cigarettes (whether based on tobacco, tobacco derivatives, expanded tobacco, reconstituted tobacco, tobacco substitutes, or other smokable materials); Non-combustion aerosol delivery systems that release compounds from an aerosol-forming material without burning the aerosol-forming material, such as electronic cigarettes, tobacco heating products, and hybrid systems that generate aerosols using a combination of aerosol-forming materials; and Includes aerosol-free delivery systems that deliver at least one substance to a user orally, nasally, transdermally, or otherwise without forming an aerosol, including, but not limited to, oral products such as lozenges, gums, patches, articles containing inhalable powders, and oral tobacco, including snus or moist snuff, where the at least one substance may or may not include nicotine.

[0248] According to the present disclosure, a "combustion-based" aerosol delivery system is a system in which the constituent aerosol-generating materials (or components thereof) of the aerosol delivery system are combusted or burned during use to facilitate delivery of at least one substance to a user.

[0249] In some embodiments, the delivery system is a combustion aerosol delivery system, such as a system selected from the group consisting of a cigarette, a cigarillo, and a cigar.

[0250] In some embodiments, the present disclosure relates to components for use in combustion aerosol delivery systems, for example, aerosol modifier-releasing components such as filters, filter rods, filter segments, tobacco rods, spills, capsules, threads or beads, or papers such as plug wrap, tipping paper or cigarette paper.

[0251] According to the present disclosure, a "non-combustion" aerosol delivery system is one in which the constituent aerosol-generating materials (or components thereof) of the aerosol delivery system are not combusted or burned to facilitate delivery of at least one substance to a user.

[0252] In some embodiments, the delivery system is a non-combustion aerosol delivery system, such as a powered non-combustion aerosol delivery system.

[0253] In some embodiments, the non-combustion aerosol delivery system is an electronic cigarette, also known as a vaping device or electronic nicotine delivery system (END), although it should be noted that the presence of nicotine in the aerosol-generating material is not a requirement.

[0254] In some embodiments, the non-combustion aerosol delivery system is an aerosol-generating material heating system, also known as a non-combustion heating system. One example of such a system is a tobacco heating system.

[0255] In some embodiments, the non-combustion aerosol delivery system is a hybrid system that generates an aerosol using a combination of aerosol-generating materials, one or more of which may be heated and provided on a support. Each of the aerosol-generating materials may be, for example, in the form of a solid, liquid or gel, and may or may not contain nicotine. In some embodiments, the hybrid system includes a liquid or gel aerosol-generating material and a solid aerosol-generating material. The solid aerosol-generating material may include, for example, tobacco or a non-tobacco product.

[0256] Typically, a non-combustion aerosol delivery system may include a non-combustion aerosol delivery device and a consumable for use with the non-combustion aerosol delivery device.

[0257] In some embodiments, the present disclosure relates to consumables that include a substrate that includes an aerosol-generating material and a support and is configured for use with a non-combustion aerosol delivery device. These consumables may be referred to as articles throughout this disclosure.

[0258] In some embodiments, the non-combustion aerosol delivery system, such as the non-combustion aerosol delivery device, may include a power source and a controller. The power source may be, for example, a power source or a heat generating power source. In some embodiments, the heat generating power source includes a carbon substrate that can be energized to deliver power in the form of heat to a substrate that includes the aerosol-generating material and the support or a heat transfer material in proximity to the heat generating power source.

[0259] In some embodiments, the non-combustion aerosol delivery system may include a receiving region, an aerosol generator, an aerosol-generating region, a housing, a mouthpiece, a filter, and / or an aerosol modifier.

[0260] In some embodiments, consumables for use with non-combustion aerosol delivery devices may include a substrate comprising an aerosol-generating material and a support, an aerosol-generating material storage region, an aerosol-generating material transfer component, an aerosol generator, an aerosol-generating region, a housing, a wrapper, a filter, a mouthpiece, and / or an aerosol modifier.

[0261] 3 is a side cross-sectional view of a consumable or article 10 for use in an aerosol delivery system. Article 10 comprises a mouthpiece segment 11 and an aerosol generation segment 12.

[0262] The aerosol-generating segment 12 is in the form of a cylindrical rod and includes a substrate 14 that includes an aerosol-generating material on a support. The substrate 14 can be any of the substrates including an aerosol-generating material and a support discussed herein, such as the embodiment shown in FIG.

[0263] Although described above in the form of a rod, the aerosol-generation segment 12 may be provided in other forms.

[0264] The tipping segment 11 in the illustrated embodiment includes a body of material 15, such as a fibrous plug or filamentary tow. Disposed between the aerosol-generation segment 12 and the tipping segment 11 is a cooling section 13 that includes a hollow tube 16 formed from a suitable material, such as cellulose acetate, paper, or a heat absorbing material.

[0265] The consumable 10 further comprises a wrapper 17 , such as a paper wrapper, that circumscribes the mouthpiece segment 11 , the cooling section 13 , and the aerosol-generation segment 12 .

[0266] 4 shows an example of a non-combustion aerosol delivery device 100 for generating an aerosol from an aerosol-generating medium / material, such as a composition of a consumable product 110, as described herein. Generally, device 100 may be used to heat a replaceable article 110 comprising an aerosol-generating medium, such as article 10 shown in FIG. 3 or described elsewhere herein, to generate an aerosol or other inhalable medium that is inhaled by a user of device 100. Device 100 and replaceable article 110 together form a system.

[0267] The device 100 comprises a housing 102 (in the form of an outer cover) that surrounds and contains the various components of the device 100. The device 100 has an opening 104 in one end through which an item 110 can be inserted for heating by a heating assembly. In use, the item 110 can be fully or partially inserted into the heating assembly where it can be heated by one or more components of the heater assembly.

[0268] The device 100 in this example includes a first end member 106 that includes a lid 108 that is movable relative to the first end member 106 to close the opening 104 when the article 110 is not in place. In Figure 4, the lid 108 is shown in an open configuration, but the lid 108 may be moved to a closed configuration. For example, a user may slide the lid 108 in the direction of arrow "B."

[0269] Device 100 may also include user-operable controls 112, such as buttons or switches that, when pressed, operate device 100. For example, a user may turn device 100 on by operating switch 112.

[0270] The device 100 may also include an electrical component, such as a socket / port 114 that can accept a cable for charging a battery of the device 100. For example, the socket 114 may be a charging port, such as a USB charging port.

[0271] In some embodiments, the substance to be delivered may be a substrate aerosol-generating material as described herein, and optionally another aerosol-generating material that may or may not be heated. If desired, the substrate and other aerosol-generating materials may include one or more active ingredients, one or more flavorings, one or more aerosol-forming materials, and / or one or more other functional materials.

[0272] stability The present invention enjoys the advantage of a longer shelf life than other tobacco extracts.

[0273] The nicotine content of the precursor and aerosol-forming materials after the freeze-drying process is calculated, indicating the amount of nicotine retained after processing. The nicotine recovery of the dried aerosol-forming material compared to the original tobacco extract is at least about 76% by weight on a dry weight basis. The nicotine recovery of the dried aerosol-forming material compared to the original tobacco extract may be at least about 60%, at least about 70%, at least about 75%, at least about 80%, or at least about 90% by weight on a dry weight basis.

[0274] The glycerol content of the precursor and dry aerosol generating material after the freeze-drying process is calculated to indicate the amount of glycerol retained after processing. The glycerol recovery of the dry aerosol generating material compared to the precursor material is at least about 85%. The glycerol recovery of the dry aerosol generating material compared to the precursor material can be at least about 70%, at least about 75%, at least about 80%, at least about 85%, at least about 90% or at least about 95% on a dry weight basis.

[0275] Furthermore, when surrounded by a moisture impermeable coating, the content of volatile ingredients such as nicotine and flavorings, as well as the content of aerosol-forming materials in the aerosol-forming material, is maintained until the composition is heated to generate an aerosol, even in the absence of packaging or other protection from exposure to moisture.

[0276] Example 1 In a first test, the precursor material consisted essentially of an aqueous tobacco extract and glycerol. The aqueous tobacco extract was further diluted with glycerol to about 24% by weight (calculated on a dry weight basis). The aqueous burley tobacco extract had a tobacco solids content of about 40% by weight and a moisture content of about 60% by weight. The precursor material was dried by freeze drying.

[0277] Example 2 In further tests, the precursor material consisted essentially of aqueous tobacco extract, glycerol and dextran 70. The glycerol content was from about 0 to about 15% v / v, or up to about 36% by weight, calculated on a dry weight basis. The precursor material was dried by lyophilization.

[0278] Example 3 The freeze-dried aerosol-generating material of Example 1 or Example 2 is ground to obtain a loose powder having an average size of about 10 μm to about 50 μm. 50 mg of the powder is then applied to the surface of a substrate comprising a sheet of airlaid paper having a porous surface texture. The particles of the aerosol-generating material readily enter into the pores of the paper to form the substrate. A significant proportion of the particles remain in place when the substrate is packaged and shipped.

[0279] Example 4 The freeze-dried aerosol-generating material of Example 1 or Example 2 is milled to obtain a loose powder having an average size of about 500 μm to about 1000 μm. A susceptor comprising a metal mesh is provided as a support, having a rough surface and pores having a size of about 600 to 1200 μm. 50 mg of the aerosol-generating material powder is then mixed with 2 mg of gelatin as a binder, and the mixture is then added to the mesh to form a substrate. A significant proportion of the particles remain in place when the substrate is packaged and shipped.

[0280] Example 5 The freeze-dried aerosol-generating material of Example 1 or Example 2 is ground to obtain a loose powder having an average size of about 10 μm to about 50 μm. 200 mg of the powder is then applied to the surface of a support comprising a sleeve made from a fleece material. Particles of the aerosol-generating material adhere to the fleece, locate in the spaces between the fibers, and adhere to the fibers, holding the particles in place to form the substrate. A significant proportion of the particles remain in place when the substrate is packaged and shipped.

[0281] The various embodiments described herein are presented only to aid in the understanding and teaching of the claimed features. These embodiments are provided only as a representative sample of embodiments and are not exhaustive and / or exclusive. The advantages, embodiments, examples, functions, features, structures, and / or other aspects described herein should not be considered as limitations on the scope of the invention as defined by the claims or limitations on the equivalents of the claims, and it is understood that other embodiments may be utilized and modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the claimed invention. Various embodiments of the present invention may suitably comprise, consist of, or consist essentially of any suitable combination of the disclosed elements, components, features, parts, steps, means, etc., other than those specifically described herein. In addition, the present disclosure may include other inventions that are not currently claimed but may be claimed in the future.

Claims

1. A substrate comprising an aerosol-generating material and a support having a rough surface and / or a porous surface, wherein the aerosol-generating material comprises a dried precursor material containing a fragrance and / or an extract derived from an active plant material.

2. The substrate according to claim 1, wherein the aerosol generating material is in the form of particles that adhere to the pores or surface irregularities on the surface of the support.

3. The substrate according to claim 2, wherein the average diameter, width, or dimensions of the surface irregularities or pores on the surface of the support are at least about 10% larger than the average diameter, width, or dimensions of the particles of the aerosol generating material.

4. The substrate according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the support comprises one or more selected from the group consisting of paper, cardboard, thick paper, recycled materials, plastic materials, ceramic materials, activated carbon, glass, sintered materials, composite materials, plant-derived materials, fabrics or fleece, fibrous tow, metals, and metal alloys.

5. A substrate according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the support includes a heating material.

6. The substrate according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the aerosol generating material covers at least a portion of the surface of the support.

7. The substrate according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein a plurality of individual parts or regions of the aerosol generating material are provided on the support.

8. The substrate according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the substrate does not contain a binder applied to adhere the aerosol generating material to the support.

9. The substrate according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein a binder is included in an amount of about 0.1% to about 5% by weight, based on the total weight of the aerosol generating material, for bonding the aerosol generating material to the support.

10. The substrate according to claim 9, wherein the binder is selected from the group consisting of a thermoreversible gelling agent, starch, polysaccharides, pectin, cellulose, cellulose derivatives, and alginate.

11. The substrate according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the aerosol generating material includes an aerosol forming material.

12. The base material according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the precursor material comprises about 10 to about 95% by weight of a fragrance or an extract derived from an active plant material.

13. The substrate according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the precursor material comprises about 1 to about 36% by weight of an aerosol-forming material.

14. The substrate according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the precursor material comprises 0 to about 40% by weight of an excipient.

15. The base material according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the aerosol generating material comprises about 45 to about 99% by weight of a dried extract derived from the fragrance or active plant material.

16. The substrate according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the aerosol generating material comprises about 1 to about 34% by weight of an aerosol-forming material.

17. The substrate according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the aerosol generating material comprises about 0 to about 25% by weight of an excipient.

18. The base material according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the plant material is selected from the group consisting of tobacco, eucalyptus, star anise, cocoa, and hemp.

19. The base material according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the fragrance or extract derived from the active plant material is an aqueous extract.

20. The base material according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the aforementioned fragrance or extract derived from an active plant material is an aqueous tobacco extract.

21. The substrate according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the aerosol generating material has a water content of about 5% or less (calculated on a wet weight basis).

22. A substrate according to any one of claims 1 to 3, comprising an impermeable coating surrounding the aerosol-generating material.

23. A substrate according to any one of claims 1 to 3, comprising an adsorbent material.

24. A substrate according to any one of claims 1 to 3, for use in an aerosol supply system.

25. An article comprising an aerosol-generating material containing a dried precursor material containing a fragrance and / or an extract derived from an active plant material, and a support having a rough surface and / or a porous surface.

26. The article according to claim 25, comprising a base material according to any one of claims 1 to 3.

27. The article according to claim 25, comprising means for preventing or reducing the absorption of moisture by the dry aerosol-generating material.

28. The article according to claim 27, wherein the means is provided separately from one or more aggregates.

29. The article according to claim 28, wherein the means includes a film or wrapper containing an impermeable coating or an adsorbent or desiccant material.

30. A non-combustible aerosol supply system comprising a substrate according to any one of claims 1 to 3 or an article according to claim 25.

31. A method for providing a base material, comprising the steps of: drying a precursor material containing an extract derived from a fragrance and / or an active plant material to form an aerosol-generating material; and depositing the dried aerosol-generating material onto a rough surface and / or porous surface of a support.

32. The method according to claim 31, wherein the precursor material is dried by spray drying or freeze-drying.

33. The method according to claim 31 or 32, wherein the particle size of the aerosol-generating material is adjusted before the material is deposited on the support.

34. The method according to claim 31 or 32, wherein a binder is added to one or more of the aerosol-generating material and the support before the aerosol-generating material is deposited on the support.

35. A method for providing a substrate, A step of coating a precursor material containing a fragrance and / or an extract derived from an active plant material and an aerosol-forming material onto a rough surface of a support, The steps include drying the precursor material to form an aerosol generating material on the rough surface of the support, A method that includes this.

36. The method according to claim 31 or 35, wherein the precursor material includes an aerosol-forming material.

37. The method according to claim 31 or 35, wherein an impermeable coating is applied to the aerosol-generating material.

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