Method for making amorphous solids for use in non-combustion aerosol delivery systems - Patents.com

Abstract

The present invention provides a method for making an amorphous solid, comprising: (a) forming a slurry, the slurry comprising 0.5 to 60% by weight of a gelling agent, 5 to 80% by weight of an aerosol-forming material, and 0 to 60% by weight of an active ingredient and / or flavoring, wherein these weights are calculated on a dry weight basis; (b) shaping the slurry; (c) curing the slurry to form a gel; and (d) drying the gel to form the amorphous solid, wherein the drying step comprises heating the gel to a temperature in the range of about 80°C to about 140°C for a time of less than 60 minutes.

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a method for making an amorphous solid, to an amorphous solid obtainable or obtained by said method, and to articles and systems incorporating said amorphous solid.

[0002] Smoking articles, such as cigarettes, cigars, etc., burn tobacco during use to produce tobacco smoke. Alternatives to these types of articles release compounds from a substrate material by heating without combustion, thereby releasing an inhalable aerosol or vapor. These are sometimes referred to as non-combustion smoking articles or aerosol generating assemblies or non-combustion aerosol delivery systems.

[0003] One example of such a product is a heating device that releases compounds by heating but not burning a solid aerosol-generating material, which in some examples may include tobacco material. The heating volatilizes at least one component of the material, typically forming an inhalable aerosol. These products are sometimes referred to as heat not burn devices, tobacco heating devices, or tobacco heating products. A variety of different configurations are known for volatilizing at least one component of the solid aerosol-generating material.

[0004] Another example is a hybrid device. These hybrid devices include a liquid source (which may or may not contain nicotine) that is vaporized by heating to produce an inhalable vapor or aerosol. The device further includes a solid aerosol-forming material (which may or may not contain tobacco material), the components of which are entrained in the inhalable vapor or aerosol to produce the inhalation medium. Overview

[0005] A first aspect of the invention is a method of making an amorphous solid, comprising the steps of: (a) forming a slurry, the slurry comprising: 0.5 to 60% by weight of a gelling agent; 5 to 80 weight percent of an aerosol-forming material; 0 to 60% by weight of an active ingredient and / or flavoring; wherein these weights are calculated on a dry weight basis; (b) forming the slurry; (c) curing the slurry to form a gel; (d) drying the gel to form an amorphous solid; Including, The drying step includes heating the gel to a temperature in the range of about 80° C. to about 140° C. for a time period of less than 60 minutes. A method is provided.

[0006] The inventors have found that these drying conditions produce an amorphous solid having a desired moisture content while minimizing the formation of cracks in the amorphous solid.

[0007] A second aspect of the invention provides an amorphous solid obtainable or obtainable by the process of the first aspect.

[0008] A third aspect of the invention provides an article for use in a non-combustion aerosol delivery system, said article comprising an amorphous solid according to the second aspect. Such articles may alternatively be referred to herein as aerosol product articles, etc.

[0009] A fourth aspect of the present invention provides a non-combustion aerosol delivery system comprising an article according to the third aspect and a non-combustion aerosol delivery device, the non-combustion aerosol delivery device comprising an aerosol generating device for generating an aerosol from the article when the article is used with the non-combustion aerosol delivery device. In some examples, the device may comprise a heater configured to heat the amorphous solid without burning it. Such a system may alternatively be referred to herein as an aerosol generating assembly.

[0010] Further characteristics and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description, given by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: [Brief description of the drawings]

[0011] [Figure 1] 1 is a cross-sectional view of an example of an article. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the article of FIG. [Diagram 3] FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional elevation view of an example article. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the article of FIG. [Diagram 5] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an example of a non-combustion aerosol delivery system. [Figure 6] FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of an example of a non-combustion aerosol delivery system. [Figure 7] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an example of a non-combustion aerosol delivery system. Detailed Description

[0012] The methods described herein produce an "amorphous solid," which may alternatively be referred to as a "monolithic solid" (i.e., non-fibrous) or a "dry gel." An amorphous solid is a solid material that can retain some fluid, e.g., liquid, within it.

[0013] As discussed above, the present invention provides a method of making an amorphous solid, comprising the steps of: (a) forming a slurry, the slurry comprising: 0.5 to 60% by weight of a gelling agent; 5 to 80 weight percent of an aerosol-forming material; 0 to 60% by weight of an active ingredient and / or flavoring; wherein these weights are calculated on a dry weight basis; (b) forming the slurry; (c) curing the slurry to form a gel; (d) drying the gel to form an amorphous solid; Including, The drying step includes heating the gel to a temperature in the range of about 80° C. to about 140° C. for a time period of less than 60 minutes. A method is provided.

[0014] This temperature range refers to the conditions to which the gel is exposed, not the temperature to which the gel is actually heated.

[0015] In some examples, the drying step (d) may remove from about 50%, 60%, 70%, 80% or 90% to about 80%, 90% or 95% of the water by weight in the slurry (WWB).

[0016] In some instances, the resulting amorphous solid comprises from about 1% to about 15% water by weight, calculated on a wet weight basis. Preferably, the resulting amorphous solid comprises from about 5% to about 15% water by weight, calculated on a wet weight basis (WWB). Preferably, the water content of the amorphous solid may be from about 5%, 7%, or 9% to about 15%, 13%, or 11% by weight (WWB), and most preferably about 10% by weight.

[0017] The inventors have found that the drying process is important as it controls the final moisture content of the amorphous solid. In particular, if the moisture content of the amorphous solid is too high, its performance in use is compromised. The high heat capacity of water means that if the moisture content is too high, more energy is required to generate the aerosol, reducing the efficiency of operation. Furthermore, if the moisture content is too high, the puff profile may be less satisfactory to the consumer due to the occurrence of hot, moist puffs (a sensation known in the art as "hot puffs"). Furthermore, if the moisture content is too high, microbial growth may occur. Conversely, if the moisture content is too low, the material may become brittle and difficult to handle. The hygroscopic nature of the aerosol-forming material may mean that if the moisture content is too low, moisture will be drawn into the material from the atmosphere, destabilizing the material.

[0018] The inventors have also found that if the drying process is carried out too quickly, cracks are observed in the amorphous solid. Aerosols generated from amorphous solids that have been cracked by heating have a lower consistency compared to solids that have not been cracked. Thus, the drying process is important as it impacts aerosol generation and user satisfaction.

[0019] Furthermore, the inventors have found that if the drying temperature is too high, the content of desired components (e.g., aerosol-forming materials, active ingredients and / or flavorings) in the amorphous solid may be reduced beyond desired levels.

[0020] Thus, there are many competing objectives that must be balanced when attempting to dry a gel to form an amorphous solid. The claimed parameters have been found by the inventors to be particularly suitable.

[0021] In some instances, drying results in an amorphous solid having a thickness that is about 5% to 20%, preferably about 10%, of the slurry thickness. In some instances, the amorphous solid may have a thickness of about 0.015 mm to about 1.0 mm. Preferably, the thickness may range from about 0.05 mm, 0.1 mm, or 0.15 mm to about 0.5 mm or 0.3 mm. The inventors have found that materials having a thickness of 0.2 mm are particularly suitable. The amorphous solid may comprise two or more layers, and the thicknesses described herein refer to the combined thicknesses of these layers.

[0022] In some examples, the method includes forming a layer of the slurry less than about 4 mm thick. Preferably, the thickness of the slurry layer ranges from about 1 mm to about 3 mm, preferably from about 1.5 mm to about 2.5 mm. In some examples, the thickness of the slurry layer is about 2 mm.

[0023] The inventors have found that if the slurry layer is too thick, it may be difficult to dry to form an amorphous solid having the required moisture content while minimizing cracking of the solid upon drying.

[0024] The inventors have found that if the amorphous solid for aerosol formation is too thick, the heating efficiency is compromised, which negatively impacts the power consumption during use. Conversely, if the amorphous solid for aerosol formation is too thin, it is difficult to manufacture and handle. That is, very thin materials are more difficult to cast and are also more likely to break, which can impair the aerosol formation during use.

[0025] The inventors have found that the thickness of the amorphous solid defined herein optimizes the material properties taking into account these competing considerations.

[0026] Any thicknesses specified herein are average thicknesses. In some instances, the thickness may vary by 25%, 20%, 15%, 10%, 5%, or 1% or less.

[0027] In some embodiments, the drying step (d) includes flowing air over the gel, the air temperature being in the range of about 80° C. to about 140° C. In some embodiments, the air flow velocity is less than about 30 m / s, preferably between 10 m / s and 30 m / s. In some embodiments, the air flow velocity is about 20 m / s.

[0028] In some instances, the drying step (d) comprises heating the gel for less than about 40 minutes, 30 minutes, or 20 minutes. In some instances, the drying step (d) comprises heating the gel for at least about 10 minutes.

[0029] In some instances, the drying step (d) comprises heating the gel to a temperature in the range of about 80°C, 85°C, or 90°C to about 130°C, 120°C, or 110°C.

[0030] In some instances, the surface temperature of the gel during drying does not exceed about 100°C.

[0031] Hardening the gel may include adding a hardening agent to the slurry. For example, the slurry may comprise sodium alginate, potassium alginate, or ammonium alginate as a gelling agent, and a hardening agent comprising a calcium source (e.g., calcium chloride or calcium lactate) may be added to the slurry to form a calcium alginate gel. In some instances, the hardening agent may be sprayed onto the slurry after (b).

[0032] In examples, the hardening agent comprises or consists of calcium acetate, calcium formate, calcium carbonate, calcium bicarbonate, calcium chloride, calcium lactate, or combinations thereof. In some examples, the hardening agent comprises or consists of calcium formate and / or calcium lactate. In certain examples, the hardening agent comprises or consists of calcium formate. The inventors have determined that the use of calcium formate as a hardening agent typically results in amorphous solids with greater tensile strength and greater resistance to elongation.

[0033] The total amount of hardening agent, such as calcium source, may be 0.5 to 5% by weight (calculated on a dry weight basis). Suitably, the total amount may be from about 1%, 2.5% or 4% by weight to about 4.8% or 4.5% by weight. The inventors have found that adding too little hardening agent may result in an amorphous solid that does not stabilize the amorphous solid components, leading to these components falling off the amorphous solid. The inventors have found that adding too much hardening agent results in an amorphous solid that is very sticky and therefore difficult to handle.

[0034] If the amorphous solid does not contain tobacco, it may be necessary to apply a larger amount of hardener. In some instances, the total amount of hardener may therefore be 0.5 to 12% by weight, for example 5 to 10% by weight, calculated on a dry weight basis. Suitably, the total amount may be from about 5%, 6% or 7% by weight to about 12% or 10% by weight. In this instance, the amorphous solid generally does not contain any tobacco.

[0035] Alginates are derivatives of alginic acid and are typically high molecular weight polymers (10-600 kDa). Alginic acid is a copolymer of β-D-mannuronic acid (M) and α-L-guluronic acid (G) units (blocks) linked together by (1,4)-glycosidic bonds to form a polysaccharide. When calcium cations are added, alginates crosslink to form a gel. The inventors have determined that alginates having a high G monomer content form gels more readily upon addition of a calcium source. Thus, in some instances, the slurry may comprise an alginate in which at least about 40%, 45%, 50%, 55%, 60%, or 70% of the monomer units in the alginate copolymer are α-L-guluronic acid (G) units.

[0036] In some examples, the slurry has a viscosity of about 10 to about 20 Pa.s at 46.5°C, such as about 14 to about 16 Pa.s at 46.5°C.

[0037] In some examples, shaping the slurry may include, for example, spraying, casting, or extruding the slurry. In some examples, shaping the slurry may include forming a layer of the slurry. In some examples, the slurry layer is formed by casting the slurry.

[0038] In some examples, a carrier is provided and the slurry is cast onto the carrier. The carrier serves as a support on which the amorphous solid layer is formed, facilitating manufacturing. The carrier may provide rigidity to the amorphous solid layer, facilitating handling. The carrier may be any suitable material that can be used to support an amorphous solid. In some examples, the carrier may be formed from a material selected from metal foil, paper, carbon paper, greaseproof paper, ceramic, carbon allotropes (e.g., graphite and graphene), plastic, cardboard, wood, or combinations thereof. In some examples, the carrier may comprise or consist of tobacco material (such as a sheet of reconstituted tobacco). In some examples, the carrier may be formed from a material selected from metal foil, paper, cardboard, wood, or combinations thereof. In some examples, the carrier comprises paper. In some examples, the carrier itself is a laminated structure comprising multiple layers of materials selected from the aforementioned list. In some examples, the carrier may also function as a flavor carrier. For example, the carrier may be impregnated with flavorants or tobacco extracts.

[0039] Suitably, the thickness of the carrier layer may range from about 10 μm, 15 μm, 17 μm, 20 μm, 23 μm, 25 μm, 50 μm, 75 μm or 0.1 mm to about 2.5 mm, 2.0 mm, 1.5 mm, 1.0 mm or 0.5 mm. The carrier may comprise two or more layers and the thicknesses mentioned herein refer to the combined thicknesses of these layers.

[0040] In some instances, the carrier may be non-magnetic.

[0041] In some examples, the carrier may be magnetic. This feature may be used to secure the carrier to an assembly during use or to generate a particular amorphous solid shape. In some examples, the amorphous solid may include one or more magnets that can be used to secure the solid to an induction heater during use.

[0042] In some instances, the carrier may be substantially or completely impermeable to gases and / or aerosols. This prevents the aerosol or gas from passing through the carrier layer, thereby controlling the flow and ensuring that the aerosol or gas is delivered to the user. This may also be utilized to prevent the gas / aerosol from condensing or otherwise depositing during use, for example on the surface of a heater in a non-combustion aerosol delivery system. In this way, consumption efficiency and hygiene may be improved in some instances.

[0043] In some instances, the surface of the carrier that abuts the amorphous solid may be porous. For example, in one instance, the carrier comprises paper. The inventors have found that porous carriers such as paper are particularly suitable for the present invention, with a porous (e.g., paper) layer abutting the amorphous solid layer and forming a strong bond. The amorphous solid is formed by drying a gel, and, without being limited by theory, it is believed that the gel-forming slurry partially impregnates the porous carrier (e.g., paper) such that the carrier is partially bonded to the gel as the gel cures and forms crosslinks. This results in a strong bond between the gel and the carrier (and between the dried gel and the carrier).

[0044] In addition, surface roughness may contribute to the strength of the bond between the amorphous material and the carrier. The inventors have found that the roughness of the paper (at the surface abutting the carrier) may preferably be in the range of 50-1000 Bekk seconds, preferably 50-150 Bekk seconds, preferably 100 Bekk seconds (measured over an air pressure interval of 50.66-48.00 kPa). (The Bekk smoothness tester is an instrument used to measure the smoothness of a paper surface. In this tester, air at a specific pressure is inserted between a smooth glass surface and a paper sample. The time (in seconds) for a fixed volume of air to penetrate between these surfaces is the "Bekk smoothness").

[0045] Conversely, the surface of the carrier that does not face the amorphous solid may be placed in contact with the heater, and the smoother surface may provide more efficient heat transfer. Thus, in some examples, the carrier is positioned to have a rougher side that abuts the amorphous material and a smoother side that does not face the amorphous material.

[0046] In one particular example, the carrier may be a paper-backed foil, where the paper layer abuts the amorphous solid layer, providing the properties discussed in the previous paragraphs. The foil backing is substantially impermeable and provides control of the aerosol flow path. The metal foil backing may also act to transfer heat to the amorphous solid.

[0047] In another example, a foil layer of a paper-backed foil abuts the amorphous solid, the foil being substantially impermeable to prevent moisture provided in the amorphous solid from being absorbed into the paper, which could weaken the structural integrity of the paper.

[0048] In some examples, the carrier is formed from or comprises a metal foil (such as aluminum foil). A metallic carrier may allow for better transfer of thermal energy to the amorphous solid. Additionally or alternatively, the metal foil may function as a susceptor in an induction heating system. In certain embodiments, the carrier comprises a metal foil layer and a support layer (such as cardboard). In these embodiments, the metal foil layer may have a thickness of less than 20 μm, for example, from about 1 μm to about 10 μm, preferably about 5 μm.

[0049] In some examples, the carrier may have a thickness of from about 0.017 mm to about 2.0 mm, preferably from about 0.02 mm, 0.05 mm, or 0.1 mm to about 1.5 mm, 1.0 mm, or 0.5 mm.

[0050] In some examples, the slurry may be cast onto a conductive support material. If a carrier is present, the carrier is provided on the conductive support material and the slurry is cast onto the carrier. The drying step (d) may include heating the conductive support material.

[0051] In some examples, the drying step (d) may include heating the conductive support material to at least about 100° C. and flowing air over the gel, where the air temperature ranges from about 80° C. to about 140° C. In this manner, the gel is heated from both sides, which the inventors have found to be a particularly advantageous drying process, as it results in an amorphous solid having desirable properties. It has also been found to reduce the likelihood of the amorphous solid delaminating from the substrate on which it is formed, as compared to simply drying with a hot air stream.

[0052] In some examples, the drying step (d) comprises (di) heating the conductive support material to at least about 100°C, (dii) flowing air over the gel (wherein the air temperature is in the range of about 80°C to about 140°C), and (diii) heating the conductive support material to at least about 100°C, where (di) and (dii) are performed simultaneously or sequentially, and where (diii) is performed after (di) and (dii) are completed.

[0053] In some examples, the slurry may comprise 1-60% by weight of gelling agent, where these weights are calculated on a dry weight basis. Suitably, the slurry may comprise from about 1%, 5%, 10%, 15%, 20%, or 25% to about 60%, 50%, 45%, 40%, 35%, 30%, or 27% by weight of gelling agent (all calculated on a dry weight basis). For example, the slurry may comprise 1-50%, 5-40%, 10-30%, or 15-27% by weight of gelling agent.

[0054] In some examples, the gelling agent comprises a hydrocolloid. In some examples, the gelling agent comprises one or more compounds selected from the group including alginate, pectin, starch (and derivatives), cellulose (and derivatives), gums, silica or silicone compounds, clays, polyvinyl alcohol, and combinations thereof. For example, in some embodiments, the gelling agent comprises one or more of alginate, pectin, hydroxyethyl cellulose, hydroxypropyl cellulose, carboxymethyl cellulose, pullulan, xanthan gum, guar gum, carrageenan, agarose, acacia gum, fumed silica, PDMS, sodium silicate, kaolin, and polyvinyl alcohol. In some examples, the gelling agent comprises alginate and / or pectin, which may be combined with a hardening agent (such as a calcium source) during the formation of the amorphous solid. In some examples, the amorphous solid may comprise calcium cross-linked alginate and / or calcium cross-linked pectin.

[0055] In some instances, the gelling agent comprises alginate, which is present in the amorphous solid in an amount of 10-30% by weight of the amorphous solid (calculated on a dry weight basis). In some instances, alginate is the only gelling agent present in the amorphous solid. In other embodiments, the gelling agent comprises alginate and at least one additional gelling agent, such as pectin.

[0056] In some instances, the slurry may include a gelling agent that comprises carrageenan.

[0057] The gelling agent may comprise one or more compounds selected from cellulosic gelling agents, non-cellulosic gelling agents, guar gum, acacia gum and mixtures thereof.

[0058] In some embodiments, the cellulose 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.

[0059] In some embodiments, the gelling agent comprises (or is) one or more of hydroxyethyl cellulose, hydroxypropyl cellulose, hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (HPMC), carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC), guar gum, or acacia gum.

[0060] In some embodiments, the gelling agent comprises (or is) one or more of 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.

[0061] Suitably, the amorphous solid may comprise from about 5%, 10%, 15%, or 20% to about 80%, 70%, 60%, 55%, 50%, 45%, 40%, or 35% by weight of the aerosol-forming material (all calculated on a dry weight basis). The aerosol-forming material may act as a plasticizer. For example, the slurry may comprise 10-60%, 15-50%, or 20-40% by weight of the aerosol-forming material. In some examples, the aerosol-forming material comprises one or more compounds selected from erythritol, propylene glycol, glycerol, triacetin, sorbitol, and xylitol. In some examples, the aerosol-forming material comprises, consists essentially of, or consists of glycerol. The inventors have found that if the plasticizer content is too high, the amorphous solid may absorb water, resulting in a material that does not produce a suitable consumer experience when used. The inventors have found that if the plasticizer content is too low, the amorphous solid may become brittle and easily break. The plasticizer content specified herein provides the amorphous solid flexibility that allows the amorphous solid sheet to be wound onto a bobbin, which is useful for the manufacture of articles used in aerosol generation.

[0062] In some embodiments, the aerosol forming material comprises one or more of 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.

[0063] In some examples, the slurry may comprise a flavoring. Suitably, the amorphous solid may comprise up to about 60%, 50%, 40%, 30%, 20%, 10%, or 5% by weight of flavoring. In some examples, the amorphous solid may comprise at least about 0.5%, 1%, 2%, 5%, 10%, 20%, or 30% by weight of flavoring (all calculated on a dry weight basis). For example, the amorphous solid may comprise 0.1-60%, 1-60%, 5-60%, 10-60%, 20-50%, or 30-40% by weight of flavoring. In some examples, the flavoring (if present) comprises, consists essentially of, or consists of menthol. In some examples, the amorphous solid is free of flavoring.

[0064] In some examples, the slurry further comprises an active ingredient. For example, in some examples, the slurry further comprises tobacco material and / or nicotine. For example, the slurry may further comprise powdered tobacco and / or nicotine and / or tobacco extract. In some examples, the slurry may comprise from about 1%, 5%, 10%, 15%, 20%, or 25% to about 60%, 50%, 45%, or 40% by weight (calculated on a dry weight basis) of the active ingredient. In some examples, the slurry may comprise from about 1%, 5%, 10%, 15%, 20%, or 25% to about 60%, 50%, 45%, or 40% by weight (calculated on a dry weight basis) of the tobacco material and / or nicotine.

[0065] In some examples, the slurry comprises an active ingredient such as tobacco extract. In some examples, the amorphous solid may comprise 5-60% by weight (calculated on a dry weight basis) of tobacco extract. In some examples, the slurry may comprise from about 1%, 5%, 10%, 15%, 20%, or 25% by weight to about 55%, 50%, 45%, or 40% by weight (calculated on a dry weight basis) of tobacco extract. For example, the slurry may comprise 5-60%, 10-55%, or 25-55% by weight of tobacco extract. The tobacco extract may contain nicotine in a concentration such that the slurry comprises 1%, 1.5%, 2%, or 2.5% by weight to about 6%, 5%, 4.5%, or 4% by weight of nicotine (calculated on a dry weight basis). In some examples, no nicotine other than that provided by the tobacco extract may be present in the slurry.

[0066] In some embodiments, the slurry does not comprise tobacco material, but does comprise nicotine. In some such examples, the slurry may comprise from about 1%, 2%, 3%, or 4% to about 20%, 15%, 10%, or 5% by weight of nicotine (calculated on a dry weight basis). For example, the slurry may comprise 1-20% or 2-5% by weight of nicotine.

[0067] In some embodiments, the active ingredient 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).

[0068] The active ingredient may comprise one or more cannabinoid compounds selected from the group consisting of cannabidiol (CBD) and THC (tetrahydrocannabinol).

[0069] The active ingredient may comprise cannabidiol (CBD).

[0070] The active ingredients may include nicotine and cannabidiol (CBD).

[0071] Active ingredients may include nicotine, cannabidiol (CBD) and THC (tetrahydrocannabinol).

[0072] In some instances, the total content of active ingredients and / or fragrances may be at least about 0.1%, 1%, 5%, 10%, 20%, 25%, or 30% by weight, in some instances, the total content of active ingredients and / or fragrances may be less than about 60%, 50%, or 40% by weight (all calculated on a dry weight basis).

[0073] In some examples, the total content of tobacco materials, nicotine and flavorings may be at least about 0.1%, 1%, 5%, 10%, 20%, 25%, or 30% by weight, while in some examples, the total content of tobacco materials, nicotine and flavorings may be less than about 60%, 50%, or 40% by weight (all calculated on a dry weight basis).

[0074] In some embodiments, the slurry comprises less than 60% by weight filler, for example, between 1% and 60% by weight, or between 5% and 50% by weight, or between 5% and 30% by weight, or between 10% and 20% by weight filler (all calculated on a dry weight basis).

[0075] In other embodiments, the slurry comprises less than 20% by weight, preferably less than 10% by weight or less than 5% by weight of filler. In some instances, the slurry comprises less than 1% by weight of filler, and in some instances, no filler.

[0076] When present, the filler may comprise 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 comprise one or more organic filler materials, such as wood pulp, cellulose, and cellulose derivatives. In certain instances, the amorphous solid does not comprise calcium carbonate, such as chalk.

[0077] In certain embodiments including a filler, the filler is fibrous. For example, the filler may be a fibrous organic filler material, such as wood pulp, hemp fiber, cellulose, or a cellulose derivative. Without wishing to be bound by theory, it is believed that the inclusion of a fibrous filler in the amorphous solid may increase the tensile strength of the material. This may be particularly advantageous in instances where the amorphous solid is provided as a sheet, for example, when the amorphous solid sheet surrounds a rod of aerosol-forming material.

[0078] In some embodiments, the slurry does not comprise tobacco fibers, hi certain embodiments, the slurry does not comprise fibrous material.

[0079] In some instances, the slurry may consist essentially of or consist of a gelling agent, an aerosol forming material, a tobacco material and / or a nicotine source, water, and optionally a flavoring agent.

[0080] The resulting amorphous solid may have any suitable areal density, for example, 30 g / m 2 ~120g / m 2 , preferably about 30 to 70 g / m 2 Or about 40 to 60 g / m 2 In some embodiments, the resulting amorphous solid may have a mass of about 80-120 g / m 2 , or about 70 to 110 g / m 2 , or in particular about 90 to 110 g / m 2Such areal densities may be particularly suitable when the amorphous solid is included in the article / non-combustion aerosol delivery system in sheet form or as chopped sheets (discussed further below).

[0081] The amorphous solid may comprise an acid. The acid may be an organic acid. In some of these embodiments, the acid may be at least one of a monobasic acid, a dibasic acid, and a tribasic acid. In some of such embodiments, the acid may contain at least one carboxyl functional group. In some of 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 of such embodiments, the acid may be an alpha-keto acid.

[0082] In some of 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.

[0083] Preferably, the acid is lactic acid. In other embodiments, the acid is benzoic acid. 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. In some embodiments, the acid is levulinic acid.

[0084] The inclusion of an acid is particularly preferred in embodiments in which the amorphous solid comprises nicotine. In such embodiments, the presence of oxygen may stabilize dissolved species in the slurry in which the amorphous solid is formed. The presence of an acid may reduce or substantially prevent evaporation of nicotine upon drying of the slurry, thereby reducing loss of nicotine during manufacture.

[0085] In certain embodiments, the amorphous solid comprises a gelling agent, including a cellulosic and / or non-cellulosic gelling agent, an active agent, and an acid.

[0086] The amorphous solid may comprise a colorant. The addition of a colorant may change the appearance of the amorphous solid. The presence of a colorant in the amorphous solid may enhance the appearance of the amorphous solid and the aerosol-generating material comprising the amorphous solid. The addition of a colorant to the amorphous solid may allow the amorphous solid to be color-matched with other components of the aerosol-generating material or other components of an article comprising the amorphous solid.

[0087] A variety of coloring agents may be used depending on the desired color of the amorphous solid. The color of the amorphous solid may be, for example, white, green, red, purple, blue, brown, or black. Other colors are also contemplated. Natural or synthetic coloring agents may be used, such as natural or synthetic dyes, food coloring agents, and pharmaceutical coloring agents. In certain embodiments, the coloring agent is caramel, which imparts a brown appearance to the amorphous solid. In such embodiments, the color of the amorphous solid may be similar to the color of other components of the aerosol-forming material that comprises the amorphous solid (e.g., tobacco material). In some embodiments, the addition of a coloring agent to the amorphous solid makes the amorphous solid visually indistinguishable from other components of the aerosol-forming material.

[0088] The colorant may be incorporated during the formation of the amorphous solid (e.g., when forming a slurry with the materials that will form the amorphous solid) or may be applied after the amorphous solid is formed (e.g., by spraying the colorant onto the amorphous solid).

[0089] As mentioned above, a further aspect of the present invention is An amorphous solid obtainable or obtainable by the process of the first aspect, An article for use in a non-combustion aerosol delivery system, the article comprising an amorphous solid obtainable or obtainable by the method of the first aspect, and A non-combustion aerosol delivery system is provided comprising an article according to a third aspect and a non-combustion aerosol delivery device, the non-combustion aerosol delivery device comprising an aerosol generation device for generating an aerosol from the article when the article is used with the non-combustion aerosol delivery device. In some examples, the device may comprise a heater configured to heat the amorphous solid without combusting it.

[0090] In some cases, the heater, in use, may heat the amorphous solid to between 120°C and 350°C without burning the amorphous solid. In some cases, the heater, in use, may heat the amorphous solid to between 140°C and 250°C without burning the amorphous solid. In some cases, in use, substantially the entire amorphous solid is less than about 4 mm, 3 mm, 2 mm, or 1 mm from the heater. In some cases, the solid is located between about 0.010 mm and 2.0 mm, preferably between about 0.02 mm and 1.0 mm, preferably between 0.1 mm and 0.5 mm from the heater. These minimum distances may reflect the thickness of the carrier supporting the amorphous solid in some cases. In some cases, the surface of the amorphous solid may directly abut the heater.

[0091] The heater is configured to heat the amorphous solid without burning it. The heater may in some examples be an electrical resistance heater, such as a thin-film electrical resistance heater. In other examples, the heater may comprise an inductive heater or other heater. The heater may be a combustible heat source or a chemical heat source that undergoes an exothermic reaction to generate heat when in use. The non-combustion aerosol delivery system may comprise multiple heaters. The heaters may be powered by a battery.

[0092] The non-combustion aerosol delivery system may further comprise a cooling element and / or a filter. If a cooling element is present, the cooling element may act or function to cool the gaseous or aerosol components. In some instances, the cooling element may act to cool the gaseous components so that they condense to form the aerosol. The cooling element may also act to move hot parts of the device away from the user. If a filter is present, the filter may comprise any suitable filter known in the art, such as a cellulose acetate plug.

[0093] In some examples, the non-combustion aerosol delivery system may be a heat-not-burn device. That is, the non-combustion aerosol delivery system may include a solid tobacco-containing material (and no liquid aerosol-forming material). In some examples, the amorphous solid may comprise a tobacco material. A non-combustion heat-not-burn device is disclosed in WO2015 / 062983A2, the entirety of which is incorporated herein by reference.

[0094] In some examples, the non-combustion aerosol delivery system may be a hybrid system. That is, the non-combustion aerosol delivery system may include a solid aerosol-forming material and a liquid aerosol-forming material. In some examples, the amorphous solid may include nicotine. In some examples, the amorphous solid may include tobacco material. In some examples, the amorphous solid may include tobacco material and a separate nicotine source. These separate aerosol-forming materials may be heated by separate heaters or may be heated by the same heater, and in some examples, the downstream aerosol-forming material may be heated by a hot aerosol generated from the upstream aerosol-forming material. A hybrid device is disclosed in WO2016 / 135331A1, the entirety of which is incorporated herein by reference.

[0095] The article for use in the non-combustion aerosol delivery system (sometimes referred to herein as an aerosol product, cartridge, or consumable) may be adapted for use in a THP, hybrid device, or another aerosol generating device. In some examples, the article may further comprise a filter and / or a cooling element (as described above). In some examples, the article may be surrounded by a packaging material, such as paper.

[0096] The article may further comprise vent holes. These may be provided in the sidewalls of the article. In some instances, the vent holes may be provided in the filter and / or cooling element. These holes allow cool air to be drawn into the article during use, where it can mix with the heated volatile components, thereby cooling the aerosol.

[0097] The ventilation facilitates the production of visible heated volatiles from the article when the article is heated in use. The heated volatiles are made visible by a process of cooling the heated volatiles such that supersaturation of the heated volatiles occurs. The heated volatiles then undergo droplet formation (also known as nucleation) and ultimately the size of the aerosol particles of the heated volatiles increases due to further condensation of the heated volatiles and by coalescence of newly formed droplets from the heated volatiles.

[0098] In some instances, the ratio of cold air to the sum of heated volatiles and cold air (known as the ventilation ratio) is at least 15%. A ventilation ratio of 15% allows the heated volatiles to be visualized by the methods described above. The visibility of the heated volatiles allows the user to discern that volatiles are being produced, enhancing the sensory experience of the smoking experience.

[0099] In another example, the ventilation ratio is between 50% and 85% to further cool the heated volatile components. In some examples, the ventilation ratio may be at least 60% or 65%.

[0100] In some instances, the amorphous solid may be included in the article / non-combustion aerosol delivery system in sheet form. In some instances, the amorphous solid may be included as a flat sheet. In some instances, the amorphous solid may be included as a flat sheet, as a pleated or gathered sheet, as a corrugated sheet, or as a rolled sheet (i.e., in the form of a tube). In some such instances, the amorphous solid may be included in the article / non-combustion aerosol delivery system as a sheet, for example, as a sheet surrounding a rod of aerosol-generating material (such as tobacco). In other instances, the amorphous solid may be formed as a sheet and then shredded and incorporated into the article. In some instances, the shredded sheet may be mixed with cut rag tobacco and incorporated into the article.

[0101] In some examples, the amorphous solid in sheet form may have a tensile strength of about 200 N / m to about 900 N / m. In some examples, such as examples where the amorphous solid does not include a filler, the amorphous solid may have a tensile strength of 200 N / m to 400 N / m, or 200 N / m to 300 N / m, or about 250 N / m. Such tensile strengths may be particularly suitable for embodiments where the amorphous solid is formed as a sheet and then chopped and incorporated into an article. In some examples, such as examples where the amorphous solid includes a filler, the amorphous solid may have a tensile strength of 600 N / m to 900 N / m, or 700 N / m to 900 N / m, or about 800 N / m. Such tensile strengths may be particularly suitable for embodiments where the amorphous solid is included in an article / non-combustion aerosol delivery system as a rolled sheet, preferably in the form of a tube.

[0102] The non-combustion aerosol delivery system may comprise an integrated article and heater, or may comprise a heating device into which the article is inserted during use.

[0103] 1 and 2, there is shown a partially cut-away cross-sectional view and a perspective view of an example of an article 101. The article 101 is adapted for use with a device having a power source and a heater. The article 101 of this embodiment is particularly suited for use with the device 51 shown in Figures 5-7, described below. In use, the article 101 can be removably inserted into the device at an insertion point 20 of the device 51 shown in Figure 5.

[0104] The example article 101 is in the form of a generally cylindrical rod including a body of aerosol-generating material 103 and a filter assembly 105 in the form of a rod. The aerosol-generating material comprises an amorphous solid as described herein. In some embodiments, it may be included in sheet form. In some embodiments, it may be included in chopped sheet form. In some embodiments, the aerosol-generating material as described herein may be incorporated in both sheet form and chopped form.

[0105] The filter assembly 105 includes three segments: a cooling segment 107, a filter segment 109, and an oral end segment 111. The article 101 has a first end 113, also known as the oral or proximal end, and a second end 115, also known as the distal end. The body of aerosol-generating material 103 is disposed at the distal end 115 of the article 101. In one example, the cooling segment 107 is disposed adjacent to the body of aerosol-generating material 103 between the body of aerosol-generating material 103 and the filter segment 109 such that the cooling segment 107 is in an abutting relationship with the aerosol-generating material 103 and the filter segment 109. In another example, there may be a separation between the body of aerosol-generating material 103 and the cooling segment 107 and between the body of aerosol-generating material 103 and the filter segment 109. The filter segment 109 is disposed between the cooling segment 107 and the oral end segment 111. Oral end segment 111 is disposed toward proximal end 113 of article 101 and is adjacent filter segment 109. In one example, filter segment 109 is in an abutting relationship with oral end segment 111. In one embodiment, the overall length of filter assembly 105 is between 37 mm and 45 mm, and more preferably, the overall length of filter assembly 105 is 41 mm.

[0106] In one example, the rod of aerosol-generating material 103 has a length between 34 mm and 50 mm, preferably between 38 mm and 46 mm, and preferably has a length of 42 mm.

[0107] In one example, the overall length of the article 101 is between 71 mm and 95 mm, preferably between 79 mm and 87 mm, and preferably 83 mm.

[0108] One axial end of the body of aerosol-generating material 103 is visible at the distal end 115 of the article 101. However, in other embodiments, the distal end 115 of the article 101 may comprise an end member (not shown) that covers one axial end of the body of aerosol-generating material 103.

[0109] The body of aerosol-generating material 103 is joined to the filter assembly 105 by an annular tipping paper (not shown) that is disposed substantially around the filter assembly 105 so as to surround the filter assembly 105 and extends partially along the length of the body of aerosol-generating material 103. In one example, the tipping paper is made from 58 GSM standard tipping base paper. In one example, the tipping paper has a length of 42 mm to 50 mm, preferably 46 mm.

[0110] In one example, the cooling segment 107 is an annular tube that is disposed around and defines a cavity within the cooling segment that provides a chamber through which heated volatile components generated from the body of aerosol-generating material 103 flow. The cooling segment 107 is hollow to provide a chamber for aerosol accumulation, yet rigid enough to withstand axial compressive forces and bending moments that may occur during manufacture and use of the article 101 during insertion into the device 51. In one example, the wall thickness of the cooling segment 107 is about 0.29 mm.

[0111] The cooling segment 107 provides a physical displacement between the aerosol-generating material 103 and the filter segment 109. The physical displacement provided by the cooling segment 107 provides a thermal gradient across the length of the cooling segment 107. In one example, the cooling segment 107 is configured to provide a temperature difference of at least 40 degrees Celsius between the heated volatile component entering the first end of the cooling segment 107 and the heated volatile component exiting the second end of the cooling segment 107. In one example, the cooling segment 107 is configured to provide a temperature difference of at least 60° C. between the heated volatile component entering the first end of the cooling segment 107 and the heated volatile component exiting the second end of the cooling segment 107. This temperature difference across the length of the cooling element 107 protects the temperature sensitive filter segment 109 from the high temperatures of the aerosol-generating material 103 when the aerosol-generating material 103 is heated by the device 51. If no physical displacement is provided between the filter segment 109 and the aerosol generating material body 103 and the heating element of the device 51, the temperature-sensitive filter segment 109 may become damaged during use and no longer effectively perform its required function.

[0112] In one example, the length of the cooling segment 107 is at least 15 mm. In one example, the length of the cooling segment 107 is between 20 mm and 30 mm, more specifically between 23 mm and 27 mm, more specifically between 25 mm and 27 mm, and preferably 25 mm.

[0113] The cooling segment 107 is made from paper, meaning that it is constructed from a material that does not generate compounds of concern (e.g., toxic compounds) when adjacent to the heater of the device 51 in use. In one example, the cooling segment 107 is manufactured from a spirally wound paper tube that provides a hollow interior chamber but maintains mechanical rigidity. The spirally wound paper tube can meet the stringent dimensional accuracy requirements of high speed manufacturing processes for tube length, outer diameter, roundness and straightness.

[0114] In another example, cooling segment 107 is a recess made from stiff plug wrap or tipping paper that is manufactured to be sufficiently stiff to withstand axial compressive forces and bending moments that may occur during manufacture and use of article 101 during insertion into device 51.

[0115] The filter segment 109 may be formed from any filter material sufficient to remove one or more volatile compounds from the heated volatiles from the aerosol generating material. In one example, the filter segment 109 is made from a monoacetate material, such as cellulose acetate. The filter segment 109 provides cooling and reduced irritation of the heated volatiles without depleting the amount of the heated volatiles to an unsatisfactory level for the user.

[0116] In some embodiments, a capsule (not shown) may be provided within the filter segment 109. The capsule may be substantially centered within the filter segment 109, both radially and longitudinally. In other examples, the capsule may be off-center in one or more dimensions. In some examples, if a capsule is present, the capsule may contain a volatile component, such as a flavoring or an aerosol-forming material.

[0117] The density of the cellulose acetate tow material of the filter segment 109 controls the pressure drop across the filter segment 109, which in turn controls the resistance to draw of the article 101. Thus, the selection of material for the filter segment 109 is important in controlling the resistance to draw of the article 101. Additionally, the filter segment performs a filtration function in the article 101.

[0118] In one example, the filter segment 109 is made of 8Y15 grade filter tow material, which provides a filtering effect on the heated volatilized material while reducing the size of the condensed aerosol droplets resulting from the heated volatilized material.

[0119] The presence of filter segment 109 provides an insulating effect by further cooling the heated volatile components exiting cooling segment 107. This additional cooling effect reduces the temperature of the contact of the user's lips with the surface of filter segment 109.

[0120] In one example, the filter segment 109 is between 6 mm and 10 mm in length, preferably 8 mm.

[0121] The mouth end segment 111 is an annular tube that is disposed around and defines a cavity within the mouth end segment 111. The cavity provides a chamber for heated volatile components flowing from the filter segment 109. The mouth end segment 111 is hollow to provide a chamber for aerosol accumulation, but is rigid enough to withstand axial compressive forces and bending moments that may occur during use of the article during manufacture and insertion into the device 51. In one example, the wall thickness of the mouth end segment 111 is about 0.29 mm. In one example, the length of the mouth end segment 111 is between 6 mm and 10 mm, preferably 8 mm.

[0122] The mouth end segment 111 may be manufactured from a spiral wound paper tube that provides a hollow interior chamber but maintains significant mechanical rigidity. A spiral wound paper tube can meet the stringent dimensional accuracy requirements of high speed manufacturing processes for tube length, outside diameter, roundness and straightness.

[0123] The mouth end segment 111 serves the function of preventing liquid condensate that accumulates at the outlet of the filter segment 109 from coming into direct contact with the user.

[0124] It should be appreciated that in one example, the oral end segment 111 and the cooling segment 107 may be formed from a single tube, with the filter segment 109 disposed within the tube to separate the oral end segment 111 and the cooling segment 107.

[0125] 3 and 4, there are shown a partial cutaway cross-sectional view and a perspective view of an example of an article 301. The reference numbers shown in Figures 3 and 4 correspond to the reference numbers shown in Figures 1 and 2, but are increased by 200.

[0126] In the example of article 301 shown in Figures 3 and 4, a ventilation region 317 is provided in article 301 to allow air to flow from the exterior of article 301 to the interior of article 301. In one example, ventilation region 317 takes the form of one or more vent holes 317 formed through an outer layer of article 301. The vent holes may be located in cooling segment 307 to aid in cooling article 301. In one example, ventilation region 317 comprises one or more rows of holes, preferably each row of holes located along the periphery of article 301 in a cross section substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of article 301.

[0127] In one example, there are 1-4 rows of vent holes to provide ventilation to the article 301. Each row of vent holes may have 12-36 vent holes 317. The diameter of the vent holes 317 may be, for example, 100-500 μm. In one example, the axial spacing between the rows of vent holes 317 is 0.25 mm-0.75 mm, preferably 0.5 mm.

[0128] In one example, the vent holes 317 have a uniform size. In another example, the vent holes 317 have a variety of sizes. The vent holes can be created using any suitable technique, such as one or more of laser techniques, mechanical drilling of the cooling segment 307, or pre-drilling of the cooling segment 307 before it is formed in the article 301. The vent holes 317 are positioned to effectively cool the article 301.

[0129] In one example, the row of vent holes 317 is located at least 11 mm from the proximal end 313 of the article, and preferably 17 mm to 20 mm from the proximal end 313 of the article 301. The location of the vent holes 317 is such that the vent holes 317 are not blocked by a user when the article 301 is in use.

[0130] By providing a row of vent holes 17-20 mm from the proximal end 313 of the article 301, the vent holes 317 can be located on the outside of the device 51 when the article 301 is fully inserted into the device 51, as seen in Figures 6 and 7. By locating the vent holes on the outside of the device, unheated air can enter the article 301 from outside the device 51 through the vent holes to help cool the article 301.

[0131] The length of the cooling segment 307 is such that when the item 301 is fully inserted into the device 51, the cooling segment 307 is partially inserted into the device 51. This length of the cooling segment 307 serves a first function of providing a physical gap between the heating device and the heat-sensitive filter device 309 of the device 51, and a second function of allowing the vent hole 317 to be located within the cooling segment while also being located outside the device 51 when the item 301 is fully inserted into the device 51. As can be seen from Figures 6 and 7, the majority of the cooling element 307 is located within the device 51. However, there is a portion of the cooling element 307 that extends outside the device 51. The vent hole 317 is located in this portion of the cooling element 307 that extends outside the device 51.

[0132] 5-7 in more detail, an example of a device 51 is shown that is configured to heat an aerosol-forming material to volatilize at least one component of said aerosol-forming material, typically to form an inhalable aerosol. Device 51 is a heating device that releases compounds by heating, but not combusting, the aerosol-forming material.

[0133] The first end 53 may be referred to herein as the oral or proximal end 53 of the device 51, and the second end 55 may be referred to herein as the distal end 55 of the device 51. The device 51 has an on / off button 57, allowing the entire device 51 to be activated / deactivated as desired by the user.

[0134] The device 51 includes a housing 59 for arranging and protecting various internal components of the device 51. In the illustrated example, the housing 59 includes a unitary sleeve 11 that surrounds the outer periphery of the device 51 and is capped with a top panel 17 that generally forms the "top" of the device 51 and a bottom panel 19 that generally forms the "bottom" of the device 51. In another example, the housing includes, in addition to the top panel 17 and bottom panel 19, a front panel, a rear panel, and a pair of opposing side panels.

[0135] Top panel 17 and / or bottom panel 19 may be removably secured to unitary sleeve 11 to allow easy access to the interior of device 51, or may be "permanently" secured to unitary sleeve 11, for example to prevent a user from accessing the interior of device 51. In one example, panels 17 and 19 are made of a plastic material (including glass-filled nylon formed by injection molding, etc.) and unitary sleeve 11 is made of aluminum, although other materials and other manufacturing processes may be used.

[0136] The top panel 17 of the device 51 has an opening 20 at the mouth end 53 of the device 51 through which a user can insert and remove an article 101, 301 containing an aerosol-generating material into and from the device 51 during use.

[0137] Housing 59 has disposed therein or secured thereto heating device 23, control circuitry 25, and power source 27. In this example, heating device 23, control circuitry 25, and power source 27 are laterally adjacent (i.e., adjacent when viewed from one end), with control circuitry 25 generally located between heating device 23 and power source 27, although other arrangements are possible.

[0138] The control circuitry 25 may include a controller, such as a microprocessor device, constructed and arranged to control the heating of the aerosol-generating material within the article 101, 301, as discussed further below.

[0139] Power source 27 may be, for example, a battery, which may be a rechargeable or non-rechargeable battery. Examples of suitable batteries include, for example, lithium ion batteries, nickel batteries (e.g., nickel cadmium batteries), alkaline batteries, etc. Battery 27 is electrically coupled to heating device 23 and provides power under the control of control circuitry 25 when needed to heat the aerosol-forming material within the article (to volatilize the aerosol-forming material without burning it, as discussed above).

[0140] An advantage of locating the power source 27 laterally adjacent to the heating apparatus 23 is that a physically larger power source 25 can be used without making the overall device 51 excessively long. Of course, a physically larger power source 25 generally has a higher capacity (i.e., the total electrical energy it can deliver, often measured in ampere-hours or the like) and therefore may provide a longer battery life for the device 51.

[0141] In one example, the heating device 23 is generally in the form of a hollow cylindrical tube having a hollow internal heating chamber 29 into which the article 101, 301 comprising the aerosol-generating material is inserted for heating during use. Various configurations of the heating device 23 are possible. For example, the heating device 23 may comprise a single heating element or may be formed from multiple heating elements aligned along the longitudinal axis of the heating device 23. The or each heating element may be annular or tubular, or may be at least partially annular or at least partially tubular along its circumference. In one example, the or each heating element may be a thin film heater. In another example, the or each heating element may be made from a ceramic material. Examples of suitable ceramic materials include alumina and aluminum nitride ceramics, as well as silicon nitride ceramics, which may be layered and sintered. Other heating configurations are possible, including, for example, induction heating, infrared heating elements (which heat by radiating infrared radiation), resistive heating elements formed by resistive electrical windings, and the like.

[0142] In one particular example, the heating device 23 is supported by a stainless steel support tube and includes a polyimide heating element. The heating device 23 is dimensioned such that when the article 101, 301 is inserted into the device 51, substantially the entire body of the aerosol-generating material 103, 303 of the article 101, 301 is inserted into the heating device 23.

[0143] The, or each, heating element may be arranged so as to heat selected zones (areas) of the aerosol-forming material independently, for example sequentially (over time as described above) or together (simultaneously) as desired.

[0144] The heating device 23 in this example is surrounded by insulation 31 along at least a portion of its length. The insulation 31 helps to reduce heat passing from the heating device 23 to the exterior of the device 51. This generally reduces heat loss and therefore helps to keep the power requirements of the heating device 23 low. The insulation 31 also helps to keep the exterior of the device 51 cool during operation of the heating device 23. In one example, the insulation 31 may be a double-walled sleeve that provides a low pressure area between the two walls of the sleeve. That is, the insulation 31 may be, for example, a "vacuum" tube, i.e., a tube that is at least partially evacuated to minimize heat transfer by conduction and / or convection. Other configurations for the insulation 31 are possible, including the use of an insulating material (including, for example, a suitable foam-type material) in addition to or in place of the double-walled sleeve.

[0145] The housing 59 may further include various internal support structures 37 for supporting all of the internal components as well as the heating device 23 .

[0146] The device 51 further comprises a collar 33 extending around the opening 20 and projecting from the opening 20 into the interior of the housing 59, and a generally tubular chamber 35 disposed between the collar 33 and one end of the vacuum sleeve 31. The chamber 35 further comprises a cooling structure 35f, which in this example comprises a plurality of cooling fins 35f spaced along an outer surface of the chamber 35, each fin being disposed to circumscribe the outer surface of the chamber 35. When the article 101, 301 is inserted into the device 51 over at least a portion of the length of the hollow chamber 35, a gap 36 exists between the hollow chamber 35 and the article 101, 301. The gap 36 circumscribes the entire circumference of the article 101, 301 over at least a portion of the cooling segment 307.

[0147] The collar 33 includes a number of ridges 60 arranged around the periphery of the opening 20, which protrude into the opening 20. The ridges 60 occupy space within the opening 20 such that the opening distance of the opening 20 at the location of the ridges 60 is less than the opening distance of the opening 20 without the ridges 60. The ridges 60 are configured to engage an article 101, 301 inserted within the device to help secure it within the device 51. Open spaces (not shown) defined by adjacent pairs of the ridges 60 and the article 101, 301 form ventilation paths around the outer surface of the article 101, 301. These ventilation paths allow hot steam escaping from the article 101, 301 to exit the device 51, and allow cooling air to flow within the gap 36 around the article 101, 301 into the device 51.

[0148] In operation, the article 101, 301 is removably inserted into the insertion site 20 of the device 51, as shown in Figures 5-7. Referring specifically to Figure 6, in one example, the body of aerosol-generating material 103, 303 (which is disposed at the distal end 115, 315 of the article 101, 301) is completely contained within the heating arrangement 23 of the device 51. The proximal end 113, 313 of the article 101, 301 extends from the device 51 and serves as a mouthpiece assembly for the user.

[0149] During operation, the heating device 23 heats the article 101 , 301 to volatilize at least one component of the aerosol-forming material from the body 103 , 303 of aerosol-forming material.

[0150] The primary flow path for heated volatiles from the body of aerosol-generating material 103, 303 is axially through the article 101, 301, through the inner chamber of the cooling segment 107, 307, through the filter segment 109, 309, and through the mouth end segment 111, 313 to the user. In one example, the temperature of heated volatiles generated from the body of aerosol-generating material is between 60° C. and 250° C., which may be above an acceptable inhalation temperature for a user. The heated volatiles cool as they travel through the cooling segment 107, 307, and some of the volatiles condense on the inner surface of the cooling segment 107, 307.

[0151] In the example of article 301 shown in Figures 3 and 4, cool air can enter cooling segment 307 through vents 317 formed in cooling segment 307. This cool air mixes with the heated volatile components to further cool the heated volatile components.

[0152] Example Embodiments A description of a number of exemplary embodiments follows, each of which refers to an amorphous solid obtainable by the method of the present invention. Where the composition of the amorphous solid is given (DWB), the slurry may have the same DWB composition as the amorphous solid (i.e., containing only additional water).

[0153] In some embodiments, the amorphous solid comprises menthol.

[0154] Certain embodiments comprising menthol-containing amorphous solids may be particularly suitable for inclusion as shredded sheets in an article / non-combustion aerosol delivery system. In these embodiments, the amorphous solids may have the following composition (DWB): gelling agent (preferably comprising alginate, more preferably comprising a combination of alginate and pectin) in an amount of about 20% to about 40%, or about 25% to 35% by weight (DWB), menthol in an amount of about 35% to about 60%, or about 40% to 55% by weight, and aerosol forming material (preferably comprising glycerol) in an amount of about 10% to about 30%, or about 15% to about 25% by weight.

[0155] In one embodiment, the amorphous solid comprises (by weight DWB) about 32-33% alginate / pectin gelling agent blend, about 47-48% menthol flavoring, and about 19-20% glycerol aerosol forming material.

[0156] The amorphous solids of these embodiments may have any suitable water content, for example, the amorphous solids may have a water content of about 2% to about 10% by weight, or about 5% to about 8% by weight, or about 6% by weight.

[0157] As discussed above, the amorphous solid of these embodiments may be included in the article / non-combustion aerosol delivery system as a shredded sheet. The shredded sheet may be blended with the tobacco and provided to the article / non-combustion aerosol delivery system. Alternatively, the amorphous solid may be provided as an unshredded sheet. Suitably, the shredded or unshredded sheet has a thickness of about 0.015 mm to about 1 mm, preferably about 0.02 mm to about 0.07 mm.

[0158] Certain embodiments of the menthol-containing amorphous solid may be particularly suitable for inclusion in an article / non-combustion aerosol delivery system as a sheet, such as a sheet surrounding a rod of aerosol-forming material (such as tobacco). In these embodiments, the amorphous solid may have the following composition (DWB): gelling agent (preferably comprising alginate, more preferably comprising a combination of alginate and pectin) in an amount of about 5% to about 40% by weight (DWB), or about 10% to about 30% by weight, menthol in an amount of about 10% to about 50% by weight, or about 15% to about 40% by weight, aerosol-forming material (preferably comprising glycerol) in an amount of about 5% to about 40% by weight, or about 10% to about 35% by weight, and optionally a filler in an amount up to 60% by weight (e.g., in an amount of 5% to 20% by weight, or 40% to 60% by weight).

[0159] In one of these embodiments, the amorphous solids comprise (by weight) about 11% alginate / pectin gelling agent blend, about 56% wood pulp filler, about 18% menthol flavoring, and about 15% glycerol.

[0160] In another of these embodiments, the amorphous solids comprise (by weight) about 22% alginate / pectin gelling agent blend, about 12% wood pulp filler, about 36% menthol flavoring, and about 30% glycerol.

[0161] As noted above, the amorphous solid of these embodiments may be included as a sheet. In one embodiment, the sheet is placed on a carrier comprising paper. In one embodiment, the sheet is placed on a carrier comprising metal foil, preferably aluminum metal foil. In this embodiment, the amorphous solid may abut the metal foil. In one embodiment, the sheet forms part of a laminate material with layers (preferably comprising paper) attached to the top and bottom surfaces of the sheet. Preferably, the sheet of amorphous solid has a thickness of about 0.015 mm to about 1 mm.

[0162] In some embodiments, the amorphous solid comprises a flavoring that does not comprise menthol. In these embodiments, the amorphous solid may have the following composition (DWB): gelling agent (preferably comprising alginate) in an amount of about 5 to about 40%, or about 10 to about 35%, or about 20 to about 35% by weight (DWB); flavoring in an amount of about 0.1 to about 40%, about 1 to about 30%, about 1 to about 20%, or about 5 to about 20% by weight; aerosol forming material (preferably comprising glycerol) in an amount of 15 to 75%, about 30 to about 70%, or about 50 to about 65% by weight; and optionally a filler (suitably wood pulp) in an amount of about 60%, about 20%, about 10%, or less than about 5% by weight (preferably the amorphous solid does not comprise a filler).

[0163] In one of these embodiments, the amorphous solid comprises (by weight DWB) about 27% alginate gelling agent, about 14% flavoring, and about 57% glycerol aerosol forming material.

[0164] In another of these embodiments, the amorphous solid comprises (by weight in DWB) about 29% alginate gelling agent, about 9% flavoring, and about 60% glycerol.

[0165] The amorphous solids of these embodiments may be included in the article / non-combustion aerosol delivery system as shredded sheets, optionally blended with cut tobacco. Alternatively, the amorphous solids of these embodiments may be included in the article / non-combustion aerosol delivery system as a sheet, such as a sheet surrounding a rod of aerosol-generating material (such as tobacco). Alternatively, the amorphous solids of these embodiments may be included in the article / non-combustion aerosol delivery system as a layer portion disposed on a carrier.

[0166] In some embodiments, the amorphous solid comprises tobacco extract. In these embodiments, the amorphous solid may have the following composition (DWB): gelling agent (preferably comprising alginate) in an amount of about 5% to about 40%, about 10% to 30%, or about 15% to about 25% by weight (DWB), tobacco extract in an amount of about 30% to about 60%, about 40% to 55%, or about 45% to about 50% by weight, and aerosol forming material (preferably comprising glycerol) in an amount of about 10% to about 50%, about 20% to about 40%, or about 25% to about 35% by weight.

[0167] In one embodiment, the amorphous solid comprises (by weight in DWB) about 20% alginate gelling agent, about 48% Virginia tobacco extract, and about 32% glycerol.

[0168] The amorphous solids of these embodiments may have any suitable water content, for example, the amorphous solids may have a water content of about 5% to about 15% by weight, or about 7% to about 13% by weight, or about 10% by weight.

[0169] The amorphous solids of these embodiments may be included in the article / non-combustion aerosol delivery system as a shredded sheet, optionally blended with cut tobacco. Alternatively, the amorphous solids of these embodiments may be included in the article / non-combustion aerosol delivery system as a sheet, such as a sheet surrounding a rod of aerosol-generating material (such as tobacco). Alternatively, the amorphous solids of these embodiments may be included in the article / non-combustion aerosol delivery system as a layer portion disposed on a carrier. Preferably, in any of these embodiments, the amorphous solid has a thickness of about 50 μm to about 200 μm, or about 50 μm to about 100 μm, or about 60 μm to about 90 μm, preferably about 77 μm.

[0170] The slurry for forming the amorphous solid may also form part of the present invention. In some examples, the slurry may have an elastic modulus (also called storage modulus) of about 5 to 1200 Pa, and in some examples, the slurry may have a viscous modulus (also called loss modulus) of about 5 to 600 Pa.

[0171] definition An active ingredient as used herein is a bioactive material, i.e., a material for achieving or enhancing a physiological response. The active ingredient may be selected from, for example, functional foods, nootropics, and psychoactive substances. The active ingredient may be naturally occurring or synthetically obtained. The active ingredient may comprise, for example, nicotine, caffeine, taurine, theine, vitamins (such as B6, B12, C), melatonin, cannabinoids, or components, derivatives, or combinations thereof. The active ingredient may comprise one or more components, derivatives, or extracts of tobacco, cannabis, or other botanical materials.

[0172] In some embodiments, the active ingredient comprises nicotine.

[0173] In some embodiments, the active ingredient comprises caffeine, melatonin, or vitamin B12.

[0174] As described herein, the active ingredient may comprise one or more components, derivatives or extracts of cannabis, such as one or more cannabinoids or terpenes.

[0175] Cannabinoids are a class of natural or synthetic compounds that act on cannabinoid receptors (i.e., CB1 and CB2) in cells that inhibit neurotransmitter release in the brain. Cannabinoids can be found naturally in plants such as cannabis (phytocannabinoids), from animals (endocannabinoids), or artificially produced (synthetic cannabinoids). Cannabis species exhibit at least 85 different phytocannabinoids, divided into several subclasses. These subclasses include cannabigerol, cannabichromene, cannabidiol, tetrahydrocannabinol, cannabinol and cannabinodiol, and other cannabinoids. Cannabinoids found in cannabis include, but are not limited to, cannabigerol (CBG), cannabichromene (CBC), cannabidiol (CBD), tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), cannabinol (CBN), cannabinodiol (CBDL), cannabicyclol (CBL), cannabivarin (CBV), tetrahydrocannabivarin (THCV), cannabidivarin (CBDV), cannabichromevarin (CBCV), cannabigerovarin (CBGV), cannabigerol monomethyl ether (CBGM), cannabinerolic acid, cannabidiolic acid (CBDA), cannabinol propyl variant (CBNV), cannabiditriol (CBO), tetrahydrocannabinolic acid (THCA), and tetrahydrocannabivarinic acid (THCV A).

[0176] The active ingredient may comprise 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).

[0177] The active ingredient may comprise one or more cannabinoid compounds selected from the group consisting of cannabidiol (CBD) and THC (tetrahydrocannabinol).

[0178] The active ingredient may comprise cannabidiol (CBD).

[0179] The active ingredients may include nicotine and cannabidiol (CBD).

[0180] Active ingredients may include nicotine, cannabidiol (CBD) and THC (tetrahydrocannabinol).

[0181] As described herein, the active ingredient may comprise or be derived from one or more botanical materials or their components, derivatives, or extracts. As used herein, the term "botanical material" includes any material derived from a plant, including but not limited to extracts, leaves, bark, fibers, stems, roots, seeds, flowers, fruits, pollen, husks, skins, etc. Alternatively, the material may comprise an active compound that is naturally present in the botanical material or is obtained synthetically. The material may be in the form of a liquid, gas, solid, powder, dust, crushed particles, granules, pellets, pieces, strips, sheets, etc. Examples of botanical materials include tobacco, eucalyptus, star anise, hemp, cacao, cannabis, fennel, lemongrass, peppermint, spearmint, rooibos, chamomile, flax, ginger, ginkgo leaf extract, hazel, hibiscus, bay leaf, licorice, matcha, yerba mate, orange peel, papaya, rose, sage, tea (green tea, black tea, etc.), thyme, cloves, cinnamon, coffee, aniseed, basil, bay leaf, cardamom, coriander, cumin, nutmeg, oregano, paprika, rosemary, saffron, and lavender. The active ingredient is selected from the group consisting of laurel, lemon peel, mint, juniper, elderflower, vanilla, wintergreen, shiso, 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 arvensis, Grapefruit mint (Mentha cv), Egyptian mint (Mentha niliaca), Peppermint (Mentha piperita), Lime mint (Mentha piperita citrata cv), Chocolate mint (Mentha piperita cv), Curly mint (Mentha spicata crispa), Wild mint (Mentha cordifolia), Horse mint (Mentha longifolia), Pineapple mint (Mentha suaveolens variegata), Pennyroyal mint (Mentha pulegium), English spearmint (Mentha spicata cv), and Apple mint (Mentha suaveolens).

[0182] In some embodiments, the botanical material is selected from eucalyptus, star anise, cocoa, and hemp.

[0183] In some embodiments, the plant material is selected from rooibos and fennel.

[0184] As used herein, the terms "flavoring agent" and "flavoring agent" refer to materials that can be used to create a desired taste, aroma, or other somatic sensation in products for adult consumers, where local regulations permit, including naturally occurring flavoring materials, botanical materials, extracts of botanical materials, synthetically derived materials, or combinations thereof (e.g., tobacco, cannabis, licorice, hydrangea, eugenol, magnolia leaf, chamomile, fenugreek, clove, maple, matcha, menthol, Japanese peppermint, aniseed (anise), cinnamon, turmeric, Indian spice, Asian spice, herb, wintergreen, cherry, berry, red berry, cranberry, peach, apple, orange, mango, etc. , clementine, lemon, lime, tropical fruits, papaya, rhubarb, grapes, durian, dragon fruit, cucumber, blueberry, mulberry, citrus fruits, Drambuie, bourbon, scotch, whiskey, gin, tequila, rum, spearmint, peppermint, lavender, aloe vera, cardamom, celery, cascarilla, nutmeg, sandalwood, bergamot, geranium, khat, naswar, betel, shisha (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, mint oil from any species of the mint genus, eucalyptus, star anise, cacao, lemongrass, rooibos, flax, ginkgo, hazel, hibiscus, laurel, yerba mate, orange peel, rose, tea (green, black, etc.), thyme , juniper, elderflower, basil, bay leaf, cumin, oregano, paprika, rosemary, saffron, lemon peel, mint, shiso, curcuma, cilantro, myrtle, blackcurrant, valerian, pimento, mace, damiane, marjoram, olive, lemon balm, lemon basil, chives, Calvi, verbena, tarragon, limonene, thymol, camphene), flavor enhancers, bitter taste receptor site blockers, sensory receptor site activators or stimulants, sugars and / or sugar substitutes (e.g., sucralose,They may contain saccharides such as acesulfame potassium, aspartame, saccharin, cyclamate, lactose, sucrose, glucose, fructose, sorbitol, or mannitol, as well as other additives such as charcoal, chlorophyll, minerals, botanical materials, or breath fresheners. They may be imitation, synthetic, or natural ingredients, or blends thereof. They may be in any suitable form, such as a liquid (such as an oil), a solid (such as a powder), or a gas.

[0185] The flavouring may suitably comprise one or more mint flavours, suitably mint oil from any species of the mint genus. The flavouring may suitably comprise, consist essentially of or consist of menthol.

[0186] In some embodiments, the flavoring comprises menthol, spearmint, and / or peppermint.

[0187] In some embodiments, the flavoring comprises cucumber, blueberry, citrus fruit, and / or red berry flavor components.

[0188] In some embodiments, the flavoring comprises eugenol.

[0189] In some embodiments, the flavoring comprises flavor components extracted from tobacco.

[0190] In some embodiments, the flavoring comprises flavor components extracted from cannabis.

[0191] In some embodiments, the flavoring may comprise a sensory agent intended to achieve somatic sensations that are usually chemically induced and perceived by stimulating the fifth cranial nerve (trigeminal nerve) in addition to or instead of the olfactory or gustatory nerves, and these may include agents that provide a heating effect, a cooling effect, a tingling effect, or a numbing effect. A suitable heating effect agent may be, but is not limited to, vanillyl ethyl ether, and a suitable cooling agent may be, but is not limited to, eucalyptol or WS-3.

[0192] As used herein, the term "aerosol-forming material" refers to an agent that facilitates the generation of an aerosol. The aerosol-forming material may facilitate the generation of an aerosol by facilitating the initial volatilization and / or condensation of a gas into an inhalable solid and / or liquid aerosol.

[0193] Suitable aerosol-forming materials include, but are not limited to, polyols, such as erythritol, sorbitol, glycerol, and glycols, such as propylene glycol and triethylene glycol, as well as non-polyols, such as monohydric alcohols, high boiling point hydrocarbons, acids (such as lactic acid), glycerol derivatives, esters (such as diacetin, triacetin, triethylene glycol diacetate, triethyl citrate or myristates (including ethyl myristate and isopropyl myristate) and aliphatic carboxylic acid esters (such as methyl stearate, dimethyl dodecanedioate and dimethyl tetradecanedioate). The aerosol-forming material may preferably have a composition that does not dissolve menthol. The aerosol-forming material may preferably comprise, consist essentially of, or consist of glycerol.

[0194] In some embodiments, the aerosol forming material comprises one or more of 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.

[0195] As used herein, the term "tobacco material" refers to any material comprising tobacco or a derivative thereof. The term "tobacco material" may include one or more of tobacco, tobacco derivatives, expanded tobacco, reconstituted tobacco, or tobacco substitutes. The tobacco material may comprise one or more of ground tobacco, tobacco fiber, cut tobacco, extruded tobacco, tobacco stem, reconstituted tobacco, and / or tobacco extract.

[0196] The tobacco used to make the tobacco material may be any suitable tobacco, such as a single grade or blend, cut rag or whole leaf, including Virginia and / or Burley and / or Oriental. It may also be "fines" or dust of tobacco particles, expanded tobacco, stems, expanded stems, and other processed stem materials (such as rolled cut stems). The tobacco material may be ground tobacco or reconstituted tobacco material. The reconstituted tobacco material may comprise tobacco fibers and may be formed by casting, a Fourdrinier type approach with back addition of tobacco extract, or extrusion.

[0197] All weight percentages (indicated as wt.%) described herein are calculated on a dry weight basis unless otherwise specified. All weight ratios are also calculated on a dry weight basis. Weights indicated on a dry weight basis refer to the totality of the extract, slurry or material other than water, and may include ingredients that are liquid by themselves at room temperature and pressure, such as glycerol. Conversely, weight percentages indicated on a wet weight basis refer to all ingredients, including water.

[0198] For the avoidance of doubt, where the term "comprising" is used herein in defining the invention or features of the invention, there are also disclosed embodiments in which the invention or features may be defined using the terms "consisting essentially of" or "consisting of" instead of "comprising." Reference to a material "comprising" certain features means that those features are contained in, contained in, or retained within the material.

[0199] The above-described embodiments should be understood as illustrative of the present invention. It should be understood that any feature described in connection with any one embodiment may be used alone or in combination with other features described, and may also be used in combination with one or more features of any other embodiment, or any combination of any other embodiment. Moreover, equivalents and modifications not described above may also be used without departing from the scope of the present invention, as defined in the appended claims.

Claims

1. 1. A method of making an amorphous solid, comprising: (a) forming a slurry, the slurry comprising: 0.5 to 60% by weight of a gelling agent; 5 to 80% by weight of an aerosol forming material; 0-60% by weight of active ingredients and / or flavorings; wherein these weights are calculated on a dry weight basis; (b) forming the slurry; (c) curing the slurry to form a gel; (d) drying the gel to form an amorphous solid; Including, the drying step comprises heating the gel to a temperature ranging from about 80° C. to about 140° C. for a time period of less than 60 minutes; method.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the drying step comprises removing 50-95% by weight (WWB) of the water in the slurry.

3. 3. The method of claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the resulting amorphous solid comprises from about 1% to about 15% by weight of water, calculated on a wet weight basis.

4. The method of any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the step of forming a slurry comprises forming a layer of the slurry, the layer being less than about 4 mm thick.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the layer has a thickness in the range of about 1 mm to about 3 mm, preferably about 1.5 mm to about 2.5 mm.

6. The method of claim 4 or claim 5, wherein the drying step results in an amorphous solid having a thickness of about 5% to 20% of the thickness of the layer.

7. The method of any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the drying step comprises flowing air over the gel, and the air temperature ranges from about 80°C to about 140°C.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the air flow velocity is in the range of 10 m / s to 30 m / s.

9. The method of any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the step of drying comprises heating the gel for a period of less than 20 minutes.

10. The method of any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the step of drying comprises heating the gel to a temperature in the range of about 80°C to about 110°C.

11. The method of any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein a carrier is provided and the step of shaping the slurry comprises shaping the slurry on the carrier.

12. A method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the slurry comprises 10-60% by weight of the active ingredient and / or flavouring.

13. 13. The method of any one of claims 1 to 12, wherein the gelling agent is selected from alginate, pectin, hydroxyethyl cellulose, hydroxypropyl cellulose, carboxymethyl cellulose, pullulan, xanthan gum, guar gum, carrageenan, agarose, acacia gum, fumed silica, PDMS, sodium silicate, kaolin, and polyvinyl alcohol.

14. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 13, wherein the aerosol forming material is selected from erythritol, propylene glycol, glycerol and mixtures thereof.

15. 15. An amorphous solid obtainable or obtained by a method according to any one of claims 1 to 14.

16. 20. An article for use in a non-combustion aerosol delivery system, comprising the amorphous solid of claim 15.

17. 17. A non-combustion aerosol delivery system comprising the article of claim 16 and a non-combustion aerosol delivery device, the non-combustion aerosol delivery device comprising an aerosol generating device for generating an aerosol from the article when the article is used with the non-combustion aerosol delivery device.

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