Aerosol-forming compositions and uses thereof

Abstract

The present invention relates to an aerosol-generating composition for printing, the composition comprising a solid aerosol-generating material comprising a dried extract from a fragrance-containing and / or active-containing plant material, the solid aerosol-generating material being suspended or dissolved in a liquid component. The aerosol-generating composition can be applied to a support to form a substrate. The aerosol-generating composition may be used to generate an aerosol. For example, the aerosol-generating composition can be used in a non-combustion aerosol delivery system. The present invention also relates to an aerosol delivery system comprising the aerosol-generating composition, and a method of providing the aerosol-generating composition.

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an aerosol-forming composition, a method for making a suspension 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 an aerosol-generating composition for printing, the composition comprising a solid aerosol-generating material comprising a dried extract from perfume-containing and / or active-containing plant material and an aerosol-forming material, the solid aerosol-generating material being suspended or dissolved in a liquid component.

[0004] In some embodiments, the liquid component comprises a solvent that evaporates to produce a dry aerosol forming composition.

[0005] In some embodiments, the solvent is one or more selected from the group consisting of water, hydrocarbons, aromatic compounds, monohydric alcohols, polyhydric alcohols, ketones, esters, and ethers.

[0006] In some embodiments, the liquid component comprises a solvent in an amount of about 1 to about 50% by volume of the total liquid component.

[0007] In some embodiments, the liquid component comprises a binder, hi some embodiments, the binder is one or more selected from the group consisting of gelatin, starch, polysaccharides, pectin, celluloses, cellulose derivatives, and alginates.

[0008] In some embodiments, the liquid component comprises a binder in an amount of about 1 to about 50% by weight of the total liquid component.

[0009] In some embodiments, the composition comprises from about 10 to about 50% by weight of the solid aerosol-forming material, based on the total weight of the composition.

[0010] In some embodiments, the aerosol forming material is selected from the group consisting of 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.

[0011] In some embodiments, the solid aerosol-forming material is formed by drying a precursor composition that includes an extract from fragrance-containing and / or active-containing plant material.

[0012] In some embodiments, the precursor material is dried to a moisture content of from 0 to about 5% (calculated on a wet weight basis).

[0013] In some embodiments, the precursor material comprises from about 10 to about 95% by weight extract derived from flavor- or active-containing plant material.

[0014] In some embodiments, the precursor composition comprises one or more aerosol forming materials.

[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 excipient is one or more selected from the group consisting of mannitol, sucrose, trehalose, lactose, sorbitol, raffinose, maltose, dextran 10, dextran 70, dextran 90, maltodextrin, gelatin, agar, cyclodextrin, PEG 2000-6000, and PVP10.

[0018] In some embodiments, the precursor material comprises a liquid suspension comprising particles having an average particle size, as measured by sieving, of about 1 mm or less.

[0019] In some embodiments, the plant material is selected from the group consisting of tobacco, eucalyptus, star anise, cocoa, and hemp.

[0020] In some embodiments, the extract from the flavor-containing or active-containing plant material is an aqueous extract.

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

[0022] In some embodiments, the solid aerosol-forming material comprises from about 40 to about 99% by weight tobacco solids.

[0023] In some embodiments, the solid aerosol-forming material is in the form of particles having a particle size, as measured by sieving, of up to about 1 mm.

[0024] According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a substrate for use in a non-combustion aerosol delivery system comprising an aerosol generating composition according to the first aspect printed onto a support.

[0025] 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, ceramic materials, composite materials, plant-derived materials, fabrics or fleeces, fibrous tow, metals, and metal alloys.

[0026] In some embodiments, the support comprises a heating material.

[0027] In some embodiments, the aerosol forming composition covers at least a portion of the surface of the substrate.

[0028] In some embodiments, a plurality of discrete portions of the aerosol forming composition are provided on a substrate.

[0029] According to a third aspect of the present invention there is provided an aerosol-forming composition according to the first aspect or a substrate according to the second aspect for use in an aerosol delivery system.

[0030] According to a fourth aspect of the present invention there is provided an article comprising a composition comprising an extract from perfume-containing and / or active-containing plant material and an aerosol-forming material printed on a substrate.

[0031] In some embodiments, the article comprises a substrate according to the second aspect.

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

[0033] According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of providing an aerosol generating composition for printing, comprising the steps of drying a precursor material comprising an extract from perfume-containing and / or active-containing plant material to form a solid aerosol-generating material, and suspending or dissolving the solid aerosol-generating material in a liquid component.

[0034] In some embodiments, the method further comprises adjusting the particle size of the solid aerosol-forming material to a maximum size of about 1 mm, as measured by sieving.

[0035] In some embodiments, the method further comprises adjusting the particle size, as measured by sieving of any solid material in the precursor material, to a maximum size of about 1 mm.

[0036] In some embodiments, the precursor material is dried by spray drying or freeze drying.

[0037] According to a seventh aspect of the present invention there is provided a method of providing a substrate comprising the steps of contacting a substrate with an aerosol-generating composition according to the first aspect and drying the aerosol-generating composition to form a coating of aerosol-generating material on the substrate.

[0038] In some embodiments, the aerosol generating composition is applied by a printing process, hi some embodiments, the printing process is selected from the group consisting of gravure printing, screen printing, lithography, letterpress printing, and digital printing.

[0039] 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]

[0040] [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] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of another substrate comprising a composition described herein. [Figure 4] 1 is a side cross-sectional view of a first embodiment of a consumable including a substrate as described herein. [Diagram 5] FIG. 5 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

[0041] 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.

[0042] 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.

[0043] 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.

[0044] The present invention relates to aerosol-generating compositions that can be printed. These compositions provide the aerosol-generating composition in a form that allows the aerosol-generating composition to be applied to a substrate in a precise and accurate manner. This is particularly advantageous because the compositions can contain high concentrations of fragrances and / or actives, thus imparting desirable properties to the aerosol in very small amounts. Printable compositions are sometimes referred to herein as "inks."

[0045] The present invention addresses some of the most important shortcomings of conventional vapor systems, namely, providing an aerosol that provides a real tobacco taste. Attempts have been made in the past to utilize liquid tobacco extracts in e-liquids for vapor systems. However, these extracts tend to be very diluted when added to other liquid components, and therefore cannot provide sufficient amounts of tobacco flavor. Stability of the liquid formulations can also be problematic as a result of the relatively high water content, which can cause instability and shorten the shelf life of the product. In contrast, the present invention provides tobacco or other plant extracts in a highly concentrated form that can provide a strong real tobacco taste to the inhalation experience. The taste experience is more authentic, since the aerosol-generating composition contains a wide range and complex blend of flavors derived from plants, as well as providing them in a concentrated form so that these flavors can be reliably perceived in the aerosol generated by the vapor system.

[0046] Printable aerosol-forming compositions include a solid aerosol-forming material suspended or dissolved in a liquid component.

[0047] The solid aerosol-forming material is a dried or dehydrated aerosol-forming material formed from an extract from a flavor-containing and / or active-containing plant material. In some embodiments, the extract is a liquid solution or suspension and may be dried or dehydrated using a process such as spray drying or freeze drying. The dried or dehydrated aerosol-forming material may be formed from a precursor material comprising an extract from a flavor-containing and / or active-containing plant material and an aerosol-forming material.

[0048] The liquid component provides the aerosol-generating composition with suitable properties that enable it to be printed. Solid aerosol-generating materials are suspended or dissolved in the liquid component to form a printable aerosol-generating composition.

[0049] The aerosol-forming compositions have a viscous form that allows them to be printed. Once printed, the compositions may be dried. In both the viscous and dry forms, the aerosol-forming compositions may be heated to form an aerosol.

[0050] The aerosol-generating composition comprises a dry extract from a fragrance-containing and / or active-containing plant material containing a high concentration of fragrance and / or active, and little or no material that does not contribute to the aerosol generated from the dry aerosol-generating material. Thus, a small amount of the aerosol-generating composition is sufficient to generate an aerosol having the desired active and fragrance content. Furthermore, the aerosol may be generated with a relatively low level of energy input.

[0051] A further advantage of the aerosol forming composition is that the low water content reduces problems associated with "hot puffs" as known in the art.

[0052] 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.

[0053] Karl Fischer titration is a classical method of chemical analysis to reliably determine the amount, even trace amounts, of water in a sample. The method can be easily performed using an automated Karl Fischer titrator. Similarly, the use of GC-TCD is also an established method to reliably determine the water content in a sample.

[0054] Unless otherwise stated, references to water content herein are references to water content as measured by Karl Fischer.

[0055] Solid aerosol generating materials The solid aerosol-forming materials included in the aerosol-forming compositions of the present invention include dried extracts derived from flavor-containing and / or active-containing plant materials.

[0056] In some embodiments, the solid aerosol-generating material is formed by drying a precursor material that includes an extract from a flavor-containing and / or active-containing plant material. The drying process is selected to preserve the desired components of the precursor material, and thus the solid aerosol-generating material may include one or more actives and / or flavors.

[0057] In some embodiments, the extract from the perfume-containing or active-containing plant material is an extract obtained by contacting the plant material with a suitable solvent, such as an aqueous solvent or an alcohol, such as ethanol, and the liquid portion containing the solvent and any dissolved plant components is then separated or partially separated from the remaining solid plant material to provide the extract contained in the precursor composition, which can then be dried.

[0058] The precursor material and / or the solid aerosol-forming material may also optionally include one or more other functional materials.

[0059] The present invention takes advantage of solid aerosol-forming materials that are formulated to have a long shelf life and therefore can be easily transported and stored. Without wishing to be bound by any particular theory, it is hypothesized that the low moisture content of the solid aerosol-forming materials 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.

[0060] For example, solid aerosol-forming materials and aerosol-forming compositions, including suspensions comprising dried extracts from fragrance-containing and / or active-containing plant materials as described herein, are stable over a range of temperatures and humidities, have long shelf lives, and are therefore easy to store and transport. 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%, or up to 50%, or even up to about 90% relative humidity prior to use.

[0061] Solid aerosol-forming materials also have the advantage of having a high concentration of the desired component, meaning that a relatively small amount of the solid aerosol-forming material is required and less energy is required to heat and release the desired component. Importantly, the aerosols generated from these materials also provide a reasonable intensity of authentic tobacco flavor.

[0062] In some embodiments, the extract from flavorant- or active-containing plant material is an extract from tobacco material.

[0063] 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.

[0064] The precursor material that is dried to form the solid 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 of 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 of tobacco solids (calculated on a wet weight basis). In some embodiments, the precursor material comprises between about 20% and about 40% by weight of tobacco solids (calculated on a wet weight basis).

[0065] 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 flavor- 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 flavor- or active-containing plant material (calculated on a wet weight basis). In some embodiments, the precursor material comprises about 50% by weight of a tobacco extract (calculated on a wet weight basis).

[0066] 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% by weight of tobacco material or tobacco extract, or flavorant- or active-containing plant material extract (calculated on a dry weight basis). In some embodiments, the dry aerosol-forming material may comprise from about 60 to about 80% by weight of tobacco extract (calculated on a dry weight basis).

[0067] 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% nicotine by weight (calculated on a dry weight basis).

[0068] 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.

[0069] 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).

[0070] 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% by weight of tobacco solids (calculated on a dry weight basis). Additionally or alternatively, the solid 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 of tobacco solids. In some embodiments, the dry aerosol-forming material may comprise from about 60 to about 80% by weight of tobacco solids (calculated on a dry weight basis).

[0071] 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.

[0072] The precursor material may be in the form of a slurry, suspension, gel, liquid or solid, but in some embodiments may be preferred is in the form of a suspension or liquid. In some embodiments, particles of solid material may be removed from the extract and / or precursor material by filtration and / or centrifugation. In some embodiments, the extract or precursor material may be filtered or centrifuged to remove particles above a certain size. Alternatively or additionally, the extract or precursor material may be milled to reduce the size of any particles present.

[0073] 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 about 0.3 mm or less, as measured by sieving or by observing the size of the particles by SEM. If necessary, the extract or precursor material can be processed to ensure that it does not contain particles having a size larger than desired, as measured by sieving.

[0074] 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.

[0075] In some embodiments, the solid aerosol-generating material and / or the precursor material includes one or more active substances, which may be obtained from an extract or may be added. In some embodiments, an extract from a flavored or active substance-containing plant material includes the active substances.

[0076] 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.

[0077] In some embodiments, the active agent comprises nicotine, hi some embodiments, the active agent comprises caffeine, melatonin, or vitamin B12.

[0078] In some embodiments, the precursor material may include extracts from other plant source(s) along with or in place of tobacco extract.

[0079] 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 or black tea, thyme, cloves, cinnamon, coffee, aniseed, basil, bay leaf, cardamom, coriander, cumin, nutmeg, oregano, paprika, rosemary, saffron, Lavender, 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: Mentha americana, Mentha cv, Egyptian mint, Mentha piperita, Eau de cologne mint, Candy mint, Curly mint, Kentucky kernel mint, Horse mint, Pineapple mint, Pennyroyal mint, Green mentha, and Apple mint.

[0080] 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.

[0081] 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.

[0082] In some embodiments, the solid aerosol-generating material 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 cannabiersoin (CBE), cannabicitran (CBT).

[0083] The solid 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).

[0084] The solid aerosol generating material and / or precursor material may include cannabidiol (CBD).

[0085] The solid aerosol generating and / or precursor materials may include nicotine and cannabidiol (CBD).

[0086] The solid aerosol generating and / or precursor materials may include nicotine, cannabidiol (CBD), and THC (tetrahydrocannabinol).

[0087] The solid aerosol-generating material further comprises an aerosol-forming material, which in some embodiments is included in the precursor material.

[0088] 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).

[0089] 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.

[0090] The amount of glycerol in the precursor material, and therefore the solid aerosol-generating material, is important as 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 lyophilization process and can lead to product collapse if the critical temperature of the formulation is exceeded.

[0091] 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.

[0092] In some embodiments, the solid 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).

[0093] In some embodiments, the solid aerosol forming material may comprise from about 1 to about 34% 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).

[0094] 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.

[0095] In some embodiments, the solid 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 stickiness of the material. The presence of an excipient may also affect the rate of (freeze) drying.

[0096] 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).

[0097] In some embodiments, the solid aerosol-generating 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 can include at least about 1%, at least about 10%, at least about 20%, or 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.

[0098] In some embodiments, the solid 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 solid 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).

[0099] In an exemplary embodiment, the solid aerosol-forming material includes, on a dry weight basis, about 36% glycerol, about 45% tobacco extract, and about 19% excipients.

[0100] In another exemplary embodiment, the solid 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.

[0101] In embodiments where the excipient is agar, the precursor material may contain 0%, about 5%, or about 10% by weight of agar. The inventors have found that when the precursor material contains a lower concentration of the agar excipient, the agar makes the precursor material more viscous and the freeze-drying process is easier.

[0102] 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.

[0103] 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.

[0104] 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.

[0105] [Table 1]

[0106] The nicotine content in the formulation depends on the type of tobacco used and the presence of other components, namely aerosol formers and excipients.

[0107] In some embodiments, the solid 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, starch, polysaccharides, pectin, cellulose, cellulose derivatives such as carboxymethylcellulose, and alginates.

[0108] In some embodiments, the solid aerosol-generating material and / or precursor material includes 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, extracts of botanical substances, synthetically derived materials, 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, cherries, berries, red berries, cranberries, peaches, apples, oranges, mangoes, clementines, lemons, 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, Ylang-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, damienne , 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), and 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.

[0109] 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.

[0110] 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, WS-3.

[0111] In some embodiments, the solid 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.

[0112] In some embodiments, the solid 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.

[0113] 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.

[0114] In some embodiments, the solid aerosol-forming material is in the form of a rod. 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.

[0115] 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.

[0116] 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.

[0117] 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.

[0118] The solid 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.

[0119] 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.

[0120] 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.

[0121] The inclusion of an acid can be beneficial in embodiments in which the solid 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 solid 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.

[0122] 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.

[0123] The solid aerosol-forming material may be in the form of particles, such as in the form of a powder, hi some embodiments, the solid aerosol-forming material is in the form of particles having a maximum particle size of about 1 mm, 900 μm, 800 μm, 700 μm, 600 μm, 500 μm, 400 μm, 300 μm, 200 μm, 100 μm, 90 μm, 80 μm, 70 μm, 60 μm, 50 μm, 40 μm, 30 μm, 20 μm, or 10 μm, as measured by sieving. In some embodiments, the solid aerosol-forming material is in the form of particles having a minimum particle size of about 5 μm, 10 μm, 15 μm, 20 μm, 25 μm, 30 μm, 35 μm, 40 μm, 45 μm, 50 μm, 60 μm, 70 μm, 80 μm, 90 μm, or a maximum particle size of 100 μm, as measured by sieving.

[0124] In some embodiments, the solid aerosol-forming material formed by freeze drying or spray drying is then processed as necessary by other suitable steps known to those of skill in the art to provide the dried material in the desired form, e.g., in the form of particles of a desired size(s).

[0125] 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 solid aerosol-forming material. Because it may be desirable for the solid 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.

[0126] In a small scale example, the precursor material is freeze-dried using a freeze-drying microscope, for example a Lyostat freeze-drying microscope.

[0127] 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.

[0128] 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.

[0129] The solid aerosol-forming material has a lower water content than the precursor material. The water content of the solid 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.

[0130] 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.

[0131] 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.

[0132] 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.

[0133] liquid ingredients The liquid component of the aerosol generating composition forms the base of the printable composition and, therefore, contributes to various important properties of the printable composition, including its viscosity and drying behavior.

[0134] In some embodiments, the liquid component includes a liquid carrier component. For example, the liquid carrier may be an oil, such as a vegetable oil. Soybean oil may be a suitable vegetable oil. The carrier provides the liquid component and the printable composition with a desired viscosity. The oil may also promote "wetting" and provide the printable composition with desired physical and chemical properties, including flow.

[0135] In some embodiments, the liquid component comprises one or more aerosol forming materials 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.

[0136] 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.

[0137] In some embodiments, the aerosol forming material 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.

[0138] In some embodiments, the aerosol forming material comprises or consists of one or more selected from glycerol, propylene glycol, and vegetable glycerol.

[0139] In some embodiments, the liquid component comprises one or more aerosol-forming materials in a total amount of about 10% to about 100% by volume of the total liquid component. In some embodiments, the liquid component comprises up to about 95%, up to about 90%, up to about 80%, up to about 70%, up to about 60%, up to about 50%, up to about 40%, up to about 30%, up to about 20%, or up to about 10% by volume of the aerosol-forming material based on the total volume of the liquid component. Additionally or alternatively, the liquid component comprises at least about 20%, at least about 30%, at least about 40%, at least about 50%, at least about 60%, at least about 70%, at least about 80%, or at least about 90% by volume of the aerosol-forming material based on the total volume of the liquid component.

[0140] In some embodiments, the liquid component may include additional ingredients, such as a fragrance. For example, in some embodiments, the liquid component includes propylene glycol and a fragrance. The fragrance may be any one of the fragrances mentioned herein.

[0141] In some embodiments, the liquid component comprises a solvent. For example, the solvent may be selected to evaporate when the composition is printed to generate the dry aerosol-generating composition. Additionally or alternatively, the solvent facilitates dissolution of the dry aerosol-generating material.

[0142] In some embodiments, the solvent is one or more selected from the group consisting of water, hydrocarbons such as pentane, hexane, heptane, isooctane, and mineral oil, aromatics such as benzene, toluene, xylene, monohydric alcohols such as methyl, ethyl, propyl, and isopropyl alcohol, polyhydric alcohols such as glycol and glycerol, ketones such as acetone, methyl ethyl ketone, methyl isobutyl ketone, and cyclohexanone, esters such as ethyl acetate, propyl acetate, butyl acetate, isobutyl acetate, and amyl acetate, and other organics such as ethers including diethyl ether, isopropyl ether, and tetrahydrofuran.

[0143] In some embodiments, the liquid component may include a water component to dissolve the dry aerosol-forming material. Since the addition of water can adversely affect the stability and shelf life of the composition and also increases the amount of energy required to volatilize the liquid component, it may be desirable to keep the water content as low as possible. In some embodiments, the liquid component includes up to about 5% water by volume, up to about 4% by volume, up to about 3% by volume, up to about 2.5% by volume, up to about 2% by volume, up to about 1.5% by volume, or up to about 1% by volume of water based on the total volume of the liquid component.

[0144] In some embodiments, the liquid component comprises one or more solvents in a total amount of about 1% to about 50% by volume of the total liquid component. In some embodiments, the liquid component comprises up to about 45%, up to about 40%, up to about 35%, up to about 30%, up to about 25%, up to about 20%, up to about 15%, or up to about 10% by volume of the solvent. Additionally or alternatively, the liquid component comprises at least about 1%, at least about 5%, at least about 10%, at least about 15%, at least about 20%, or at least about 25% by volume of the solvent based on the total volume of the liquid component.

[0145] In some embodiments, the liquid component comprises a binder. For example, the binder may be one or more selected from the group consisting of gelatin, starch, polysaccharides, pectin, cellulose, cellulose derivatives such as carboxymethylcellulose, and alginates.

[0146] In some embodiments, the liquid component comprises a binder in an amount of about 1 to about 50% by weight of the total liquid component. In some embodiments, the liquid component comprises up to about 45%, up to about 40%, up to about 35%, up to about 30%, up to about 25%, up to about 20%, up to about 15%, or up to about 10% by weight of binder. Additionally or alternatively, the liquid component comprises at least about 1%, at least about 5%, at least about 10%, at least about 15%, at least about 20%, or at least about 25% by weight of binder.

[0147] Ink composition The printable aerosol-forming composition is formed by combining a solid aerosol-forming material with a liquid component.

[0148] In some embodiments, the printable aerosol generating composition comprises from about 10 to about 50% by weight, or from about 10 to about 30% by weight, of solid aerosol generating material (in solid or dissolved form), based on the total weight of the composition.

[0149] In some embodiments, the printable aerosol generating composition comprises up to about 60%, up to about 50%, up to about 40%, up to about 30%, or up to about 20% by weight of solid aerosol-generating material (in solid or dissolved form) by total weight of the printable aerosol-generating composition. Additionally or alternatively, the printable aerosol-generating composition comprises at least about 10%, at least about 15%, at least about 20%, at least about 25%, at least about 30%, at least about 35%, at least about 40%, or at least about 50% by weight of solid aerosol-generating material (in solid or dissolved form) by total weight of the printable aerosol-generating composition.

[0150] In some embodiments, the solid aerosol generating material is not soluble in the liquid component and the printable composition is a suspension.

[0151] In other embodiments, the solid aerosol forming material is at least partially soluble in the liquid component and the printable composition is a suspension or solution.

[0152] When the goal is to produce a solution, dissolution of the solid aerosol-forming material can be facilitated or accelerated by providing the solid aerosol-forming material in particulate form. For example, the particles may have an average particle size of about 100 μm or less, about 50 μm or less, about 25 μm or less, or about 10 μm or less, as measured by sieving.

[0153] In some embodiments, an aerosol-forming composition that is a suspension can be filtered or centrifuged to remove particles above a certain size.

[0154] To provide an aerosol-forming composition in the form of a solution, it may be possible to select a liquid component having one or more components in which the solid aerosol-forming material is soluble. For example, as described above, the liquid component may include a solvent.

[0155] Alternatively or additionally, to provide an aerosol-generating composition in the form of a solution, it may be possible to formulate the solid aerosol-generating material to exclude any components that are not soluble in the liquid aerosol-generating material. In some embodiments, the solid aerosol-generating material does not include an excipient that is insoluble in the liquid aerosol-generating material. In some embodiments, the solid aerosol-generating material includes an excipient or other component that is readily soluble in the liquid aerosol-generating material of the aerosol-generating composition.

[0156] To provide an aerosol generating composition in the form of a solution, it may be possible to formulate the solid aerosol generating materials to exclude any components that are not soluble in the liquid component.

[0157] support The printable compositions disclosed herein may be applied or printed onto a substrate to provide an aerosol-generating substrate. The substrate or layer of the substrate may be formed from any material suitable for receiving and retaining the printable composition.

[0158] 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.

[0159] The surface of the support may be smooth, but in some embodiments, the surface is rough. The rough surface is irregular, non-uniform, and not smooth. For example, the rough surface may include depressions, holes, channels, protrusions.

[0160] 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.

[0161] 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 these two solid objects are a substrate and a dried printed aerosol generating composition. In particular, the adhesion of the printed aerosol generating composition to the substrate is determined by the roughness and the contact area between the two solid objects.

[0162] As a result, it is desirable to match the size of any particle of the solid aerosol-generating material to the size of the surface irregularities of the substrate to maximize the contact area and therefore adhesion between the substrate surface and the printed aerosol-generating composition. Thus, a highly porous substrate 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 substrate surface require finer particle sizes.

[0163] 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.

[0164] 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.

[0165] 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.

[0166] In some embodiments, the rough surface of the substrate can enhance adhesion of the aerosol generating composition to the substrate and help anchor the composition to the substrate. In some embodiments, the particles in the printable aerosol generating composition have a size that complements the substrate surface roughness to enhance adhesion. For example, particles of the aerosol generating material may be located within recesses in the surface of the substrate.

[0167] In some embodiments, the support comprises a material that inherently has a rough or porous surface.

[0168] 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 teabag paper. The paper may be a porous paper, such as an airlaid paper. When the printable composition is applied to the surface of such a support, the dried composition may be disposed within the pores of the porous paper to provide good adhesion between the dried composition and the paper. In some embodiments, the support surface comprises a paper material, and the paper optionally has a weight of about 20 gsm to about 100 gsm.

[0169] In some embodiments, the substrate is a (dried) tobacco material, such as tobacco leaf, lamina or stem material, or a reconstituted tobacco material. The printable composition may be applied directly onto the rough surface of such a substrate material.

[0170] 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. The printable composition may adhere to the surface of the fibers in the material and / or occupy the gaps between the fibers.

[0171] 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.

[0172] 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.

[0173] In some embodiments, the support is a porous material such as an open cell reticulated foam or a sintered structure. In some embodiments, the porous material comprises a ceramic material, an activated carbon material, a zeolite, silica, wood, cork, or other naturally occurring material having a porous surface. Again, the printable composition may be applied directly to the surface of the porous support material or printed directly onto the surface of the porous support material.

[0174] 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.

[0175] 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.

[0176] 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.

[0177] 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.

[0178] 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.

[0179] 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.

[0180] In some examples, the surface roughness of the substrate is provided by a combination of one or more of protrusions, embossments, and scorelines.

[0181] 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.

[0182] 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.

[0183] In some embodiments, the heating material may have a rough or porous surface or include holes, for example in the form of a mesh, a fibrous mass, or a perforated, embossed or scored sheet, hi other embodiments, the heating material may have a smooth surface, for example in the form of a flat strip or ribbon, or a rod or cylinder.

[0184] In some embodiments, the printable aerosol-generating composition is applied or printed onto a substrate in a plurality of spaced apart regions of the substrate's surface to form separate portions of 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 rates.

[0185] In FIG. 1, a substrate 1 is shown comprising a cylindrical support 2, the exterior surface of which is printed with an aerosol-generating composition that forms a layer or coating of aerosol-generating material 3 bonded to the surface of the support, as discussed herein.

[0186] 2 shows an embodiment in which the substrate 1 comprises a flat support 2. A portion of one surface of the support 2 has been printed with an aerosol-forming composition that forms part of an aerosol-forming material 3 bound to the surface of the support 2.

[0187] In some embodiments, the substrate is a wrapper material, such as a paper wrapper. The aerosol-generating composition may be applied to at least a portion of a surface of the wrapper. In some embodiments, the composition may be used as an adhesive to secure the wrapper in place or to hold the wrapper closed around the rod or aerosol-generating material.

[0188] 3 illustrates such an embodiment, showing a substrate 1 including a support in the form of a paper wrapper 2 held in a rolled configuration by printed strips or stripes of an aerosol-generating composition 3 as disclosed herein. In the embodiment shown, the wrapper 2 is wrapped around a section or plug of additional aerosol-generating material 5.

[0189] Such embodiments have the advantage that the aerosol-generating material can be inherently incorporated into the materials that are otherwise included in the substrate or article, minimizing additional manufacturing complexity and costs, and minimizing the material that needs to be heated in addition to the aerosol-generating material to generate the aerosol, and therefore minimizing the additional energy required.

[0190] In some embodiments, a support may be provided onto which a user can apply a printable aerosol generating composition, thus forming a substrate for use in an aerosol delivery system. In some embodiments, the support is reusable, such that a user can apply a predetermined amount or dose of the aerosol generating composition to form a substrate, use the substrate, and then apply another predetermined amount or dose of the aerosol generating composition to form a "refill" substrate for use.

[0191] A precise amount of a printable aerosol generating composition can, in some embodiments, be applied to a substrate through the use of a dispensing device that can measure an amount of aerosol generating material and print it onto the substrate.

[0192] In some embodiments, the printable aerosol generating composition may be applied to a substrate using a printing process, such as a process selected from the group consisting of gravure printing, screen printing, lithography, letterpress printing, and digital printing.

[0193] In some embodiments, the printable aerosol generating composition may be applied using a stamp to transfer the composition from a reservoir to the surface of a support to form a substrate.

[0194] Substrate Use Substrates comprising the aerosol-forming composition and the support can be used in combustion or non-combustion aerosol delivery systems, or in aerosol-free delivery systems.

[0195] The present invention also relates to consumables or articles that include a composition that includes an extract from perfume-containing and / or active-containing plant material and an aerosol-forming material printed onto a substrate.

[0196] In some embodiments, the substrate is provided in a consumable product. Alternatively, the substrate may be used as a consumable product.

[0197] 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.

[0198] 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.

[0199] 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.

[0200] 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.

[0201] 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.

[0202] The printable aerosol generating composition can be applied to any portion of a substrate or consumable, for example, the composition can be printed onto a wrapper, plug wrap or tipping paper, or printed onto the surface of a cooling section tube or filter plug.

[0203] The printable aerosol generating composition may be applied to the surface of a heating material, such as a susceptor.

[0204] The printable nature of the aerosol-generating composition means that the printed patch can provide precise "dosing" and precise positioning of the composition to control how and when the composition is heated, and to what extent the composition is heated. This means that precise puff-by-puff delivery of actives and / or fragrances can be achieved.

[0205] In some embodiments, the consumable and / or aerosol generating system may contain sufficient aerosol generating composition to generate at least 100 puffs, at least 200 puffs, at least 300 puffs, at least 400 puffs, at least 500 puffs, at least 600 puffs, at least 700 puffs, at least 800 puffs, at least 900 puffs, or at least 1000 puffs.

[0206] Delivery System The delivery systems described herein can be combustion aerosol delivery systems, non-combustion aerosol delivery systems, or aerosol-free delivery systems.

[0207] 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 An aerosol-free delivery system that delivers 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 contain nicotine. Includes.

[0208] 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.

[0209] 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.

[0210] 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.

[0211] 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.

[0212] In some embodiments, the delivery system is a non-combustion aerosol delivery system, such as a powered non-combustion aerosol delivery system.

[0213] 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.

[0214] 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.

[0215] 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.

[0216] 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.

[0217] 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.

[0218] 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.

[0219] 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.

[0220] 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.

[0221] 4 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.

[0222] The aerosol-generating segment 12 is in the form of a cylindrical rod and includes a substrate 14 that includes an aerosol-generating composition on a support. The substrate 14 can be any of the substrates that include a printable aerosol-generating composition and a support discussed herein, such as the embodiment shown in FIG.

[0223] In alternative embodiments, the aerosol-generating segment may include a rod of aerosol-generating material, such as tobacco material, surrounded by a wrapper printed with the aerosol-generating composition, as shown, for example, in FIG.

[0224] Although described above in the form of a rod, the aerosol-generation segment 12 may be provided in other forms.

[0225] 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.

[0226] 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 .

[0227] 5 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, the device 100 can be used to heat a replaceable article 110 containing an aerosol-generating medium, such as article 10 as shown in FIG. 4 or described elsewhere herein, to generate an aerosol or other inhalable medium that is inhaled by a user of the device 100. The device 100 and the replaceable article 110 together form a system.

[0228] 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.

[0229] 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 5, 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."

[0230] 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.

[0231] 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.

[0232] 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.

[0233] stability The present invention enjoys the advantage of a longer shelf life than other tobacco extracts.

[0234] The nicotine content of the precursor and solid 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.

[0235] 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.

[0236] 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.

[0237] 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.

[0238] Example 3 The freeze-dried material of Example 1 or Example 2 is ground to obtain a loose powder with an average size of about 10 μm to about 50 μm. 50 mg of the powder is then added to 2 ml of a liquid component containing 50% vegetable glycerol and 50% propylene glycol. This printable aerosol generating composition is printed onto a paper substrate and used in a vapor device to provide about 500 puffs.

[0239] Example 4 The freeze-dried material of Example 1 or Example 2 is milled to obtain a loose powder with an average size of about 10 μm to about 50 μm. 20 mg of the powder is then added to 1 ml of a liquid component containing 60% by volume propylene glycol, 35% by volume vegetable glycerol, and 5% by volume water. This printable composition forms a particulate-free solution and is applied to a metal strip susceptor used in a vapor device to provide at least 200 puffs.

[0240] 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 printing aerosol generating composition, wherein the composition comprises a solid aerosol generating material containing a dried extract derived from a fragrance-containing and / or active-containing plant material, and an aerosol forming material, wherein the solid aerosol generating material is suspended or dissolved in a liquid component.

2. The aerosol generating composition according to claim 1, wherein the liquid component comprises a solvent that evaporates to produce a dry aerosol generating composition.

3. The aerosol-generating composition according to claim 2, wherein the solvent is one or more selected from the group consisting of water, hydrocarbons, aromatic compounds, monohydric alcohols, polyhydric alcohols, ketones, esters, and ethers.

4. The aerosol-generating composition according to claim 2 or 3, wherein the liquid component contains the solvent in an amount of about 1 to about 50 volume percent of the total liquid component.

5. The aerosol-generating composition according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the liquid component comprises a binder.

6. The aerosol-generating composition according to claim 5, wherein the binder is one or more selected from the group consisting of gelatin, starch, polysaccharides, pectin, celluloses, cellulose derivatives, and alginates.

7. The aerosol-generating composition according to claim 5, wherein the liquid component contains the binder in an amount of about 1 to about 50% by weight of the total liquid component.

8. The aerosol-generating composition according to any one of claims 1 to 3, comprising about 10 to about 50% by weight of a solid aerosol-generating material based on the total weight of the composition.

9. The aerosol-forming composition according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the aerosol-forming material is selected from the group consisting of glycerol, propylene glycol, diethylene glycol, triethylene glycol, tetraethylene glycol, 1,3-butylene glycol, erythritol, mesoerythritol, ethyl vanillate, ethyl laurate, diethyl suberate, triethyl citrate, triacetin, a mixture of diacetin, benzyl benzoate, benzyl phenylacetate, tributyline, lauryl acetate, lauric acid, myristic acid, and propylene carbonate.

10. The aerosol-generating composition according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the solid aerosol-generating material is formed by drying a precursor composition containing an extract derived from a fragrance-containing and / or active plant material.

11. The aerosol-generating composition according to claim 10, wherein the precursor material is dried to a water content of 0 to about 5% (calculated on a wet weight basis).

12. The aerosol-generating composition according to claim 10, wherein the precursor material comprises an extract derived from a plant material containing fragrance or active ingredients in an amount of about 10 to 95% by weight.

13. The aerosol generating composition according to claim 10, wherein the precursor composition comprises one or more aerosol-forming materials.

14. The aerosol-generating composition according to claim 13, wherein the precursor material comprises about 1 to about 36% by weight of an aerosol-forming material.

15. The aerosol-generating composition according to claim 10, wherein the precursor material comprises 0 to about 40% by weight of an excipient.

16. The aerosol-generating composition according to claim 15, wherein the excipient is one or more selected from the group consisting of mannitol, sucrose, trehalose, lactose, sorbitol, raffinose, maltose, dextran 10, dextran 70, dextran 90, maltodextrin, gelatin, agar, cyclodextrin, PEG 2000-6000, and PVP 10.

17. The aerosol-generating composition according to claim 10, wherein the precursor material comprises a liquid suspension containing particles having an average particle size of about 1 mm or less as measured by sieving.

18. The aerosol-generating composition 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 aerosol-generating composition according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the extract derived from the fragrance-containing or active plant material is an aqueous extract.

20. The aerosol-generating composition according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the extract derived from the fragrance-containing or active plant material is an aqueous tobacco extract.

21. The aerosol-generating composition according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the solid aerosol-generating material contains about 40 to about 99% by weight of tobacco solids.

22. The aerosol-generating composition according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the solid aerosol-generating material is in the form of particles having a particle diameter of approximately 1 mm at most, as measured by sieving.

23. A substrate for use in a non-combustible aerosol supply system, comprising the aerosol-generating composition according to claim 1 printed on a support.

24. The substrate according to claim 23, wherein the support comprises one or more selected from the group consisting of paper, cardboard, thick paper, recycled materials, plastic materials, activated carbon, glass, sintered materials, ceramic materials, composite materials, plant-derived materials, fabric or fleece, fibrous tow, metals, and metal alloys.

25. The substrate according to claim 23, wherein the support comprises a heating material.

26. The substrate according to claim 23, wherein the aerosol generating composition covers at least a portion of the surface of the support.

27. The substrate according to claim 23, wherein a plurality of individual portions of the aerosol generating composition are provided on the support.

28. An aerosol-generating composition according to any one of claims 1 to 3 or a substrate according to claim 23, for use in an aerosol supply system.

29. An article comprising a composition containing an extract derived from a fragrance-containing and / or active plant material and an aerosol-forming material printed on a support.

30. The article according to claim 29, comprising the base material according to claim 23.

31. A non-combustible aerosol supply system comprising an aerosol-generating composition according to any one of claims 1 to 3, a substrate according to claim 23, or an article according to claim 29.

32. A precursor material containing an extract derived from a fragrance-containing and / or active plant material is dried to form a solid aerosol-generating material, The solid aerosol generating material is suspended or dissolved in a liquid component, A method for providing a printing aerosol generating composition containing [a specific compound / element].

33. The method according to claim 32, further comprising adjusting the particle size of the solid aerosol generating material, as measured by sieving, to a maximum size of approximately 1 mm.

34. The method according to claim 32 or 33, further comprising adjusting the particle size of any solid material in the precursor material to a maximum size of approximately 1 mm when measured by sieving.

35. The method according to claim 32 or 33, wherein the precursor material is dried by spray drying or freeze-drying.

36. The support is brought into contact with the aerosol-generating composition according to any one of claims 1 to 3, The aerosol generating composition is dried to form a coating of the aerosol generating material on the support, A method for providing a substrate, including the above.

37. The method according to claim 36, wherein the aerosol generating composition is applied by a printing process.

38. The method according to claim 37, wherein the printing process is selected from the group consisting of gravure printing, screen printing, lithography, letterpress printing, and digital printing.

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