Components for an article, and an article for use in a non-combustible aerosol supply system

Abstract

A susceptor (14) is described for insertion into an aerosol-generating material portion (13) of an article (1). The susceptor (14) comprises a coating on at least 20% of an exterior surface of the susceptor, the coating comprising an aerosol-generating material and / or an aerosol-modifying material and having a thickness of 300 microns or less. Methods of forming the susceptor (14), an article (1) comprising the susceptor (14), a method of manufacturing the article (1), and an aerosol-generating system comprising the article are also described.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a susceptor for insertion into an aerosol-forming material portion of an article for a non-combustible aerosol supply system, and a method of forming a susceptor for insertion into an aerosol-forming material portion of an article. Background

[0002] An aerosol generation system generates an aerosol during use, which is inhaled by a user. For example, a tobacco heating device heats an aerosol-forming substrate such as tobacco to form an aerosol by heating the substrate rather than burning it. Some aerosol generation systems generally include a mouthpiece through which the aerosol reaches the user's mouth. Summary

[0003] According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a susceptor for insertion into an aerosol-forming material portion of an article, the susceptor having a coating on at least 20% of the outer surface thereof, the coating comprising an aerosol-forming material and / or an aerosol-modifying material and having a thickness of 300 microns or less.

[0004] According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of forming a susceptor for insertion into an aerosol-forming material portion of an article, the method comprising applying a coating to the susceptor such that the coating covers at least 20% of the outer surface of the susceptor, the coating having a thickness of 300 microns or less.

[0005] According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided a susceptor prepared by the method according to the second aspect of the present invention.

[0006] According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, there is provided an article for use in an aerosol generation system, a mouthpiece, and an aerosol-forming portion connected to the mouthpiece and containing an aerosol-forming material, and a susceptor according to the first aspect of the present invention An article comprising is provided.

[0007] According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of manufacturing an article according to the fourth aspect of the present invention, the method comprising forming a rod of aerosol-generating material and joining a mouthpiece to the rod of aerosol-generating material. The method may further comprise applying a coating to a susceptor and sending the coated susceptor to the rod of aerosol-generating material.

[0008] According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, an article according to the fourth aspect of the present invention, and an aerosol-generating device comprising an induction transmitter for inductively heating a susceptor is provided.

[0009] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0010]

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[0011] As used herein, the term "delivery system" is intended to encompass a system for delivering at least one substance to a user, which includes combustible aerosol supply systems such as cigarettes, cigars, cigars, and tobacco for pipes, hand-rolled cigarettes, or hand-made cigarettes (regardless of whether based on tobacco, tobacco derivatives, expanded tobacco, reclaimed tobacco, tobacco substitutes, or other smoking materials), and non-combustible aerosol supply systems that release compounds from aerosol-generating materials without burning the aerosol-generating materials, such as electronic cigarettes, tobacco heating products, and hybrid systems for generating aerosols using a combination of aerosol-generating materials, and an aerosol-free delivery system that includes, but is not limited to, oral products such as lozenges, gums, patches, articles containing inhalable powders, and oral tobacco containing snus or moist snuff, and delivers at least one substance, which may or may not contain nicotine, to the user orally, nasally, transdermally, or by another method without forming an aerosol.

[0012] According to the present disclosure, a "non-combustible" aerosol supply system is a system in which an aerosol-generating material (or a component thereof), which is a component of the aerosol supply system, does not burn or is non-flammable in order to facilitate the delivery of at least one substance to a user.

[0013] In some embodiments, the delivery system is a non-combustible aerosol supply system, such as a powered non-combustible aerosol supply system.

[0014] In some embodiments, the non-combustible aerosol supply system is an electronic cigarette, also known as a vaping device or an electronic nicotine delivery system (ENDS), but it should be noted that the presence of nicotine in the aerosol-generating material is not essential.

[0015] In some embodiments, the non-combustible aerosol supply system is an aerosol-generating material heating system, also known as a non-combustion heating system. An example of such a system is a tobacco heating system.

[0016] In some embodiments, the non-combustible aerosol supply system is a hybrid system for generating an aerosol using a combination of aerosol-generating materials, one or more of which can be heated. Each of the aerosol-generating materials can 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 can include, for example, tobacco or non-tobacco products.

[0017] Generally, a non-combustible aerosol supply system can comprise a non-combustible aerosol supply device and a consumable for use with the non-combustible aerosol supply device.

[0018] In some embodiments, the present disclosure relates to consumables that contain an aerosol-generating material and are configured to be used with a non-combustible aerosol supply device. These consumables may sometimes be referred to as articles throughout the present disclosure.

[0019] As used herein, the terms "upstream" and "downstream" are relative terms defined with respect to the direction in which the mainstream aerosol is drawn through an article or device during use.

[0020] In some embodiments, a non-combustible aerosol supply system, such as its non-combustible aerosol supply device, can include a power source and a controller. The power source may be, for example, a power supply or a heat-generating power source. In some embodiments, the heat-generating power source includes a carbon substrate that can be activated to disperse power in the form of heat to an aerosol-generating material or a heat-transfer material proximate to the heat-generating power source.

[0021] In some embodiments, the non-combustible aerosol supply system includes an area for receiving a consumable, an aerosol generator, an aerosol generation area, a housing, a mouthpiece, a filter, and / or an aerosol modifier.

[0022] In some embodiments, consumables for use with a non-combustible aerosol supply device can include an aerosol-generating material, an aerosol-generating material storage area, aerosol-generating material transfer components, an aerosol generator, an aerosol generation area, a housing, a wrapper, a filter, a mouthpiece, and / or an aerosol modifier.

[0023] In some embodiments, the consumable includes a delivered substance. The delivered substance may be an aerosol-generating material or a material not intended for aerosolization. Optionally, any material can include one or more active ingredients, one or more fragrances, one or more aerosol-forming materials, and / or one or more other functional materials.

[0024] In some embodiments, the substance to be delivered can include an active substance.

[0025] As used herein, the active substance may be a physiologically active material that is a material intended to achieve or enhance a physiological reaction. The active substance may be selected, for example, from dietary supplements, known drugs, and psychoactive substances. The active substance may be of natural origin or synthetically obtained. The active substance can include, for example, nicotine, caffeine, taurine, theine, vitamins such as B6 or B12 or C, melatonin, cannabinoids, or their components, derivatives, or combinations. The active substance can include one or more components, derivatives, or extracts of tobacco, cannabis, or another plant substance.

[0026] In some embodiments, the active substance includes nicotine. In some embodiments, the active substance includes caffeine, melatonin, or vitamin B12.

[0027] As described herein, the active substance may include one or more phytochemicals or their components, derivatives, or extracts, or may be derived therefrom. As used herein, the term "phytochemical" includes, but is not limited to, any material derived from plants, including extracts, leaves, bark, fibers, stems, roots, seeds, flowers, fruits, pollen, hulls, shells, etc. Alternatively, the material can include active compounds naturally present in synthetically obtained phytochemicals. The material may be in the form of a liquid, gas, solid, powder, micropowder, crushed particles, granules, pellets, fragments, chips, sheets, etc. Examples of phytochemicals are tobacco, eucalyptus, star anise, hemp, cocoa, cannabis, fennel, lemongrass, peppermint, spearmint, rooibos, chamomile, flax, ginger, ginkgo leaf, purslane, hibiscus, laurel, licorice, matcha, mate, orange peel, papaya, rose, sage, green tea or black tea, thyme, clove, cinnamon, coffee, aniseed, basil, bay leaf, cardamom, coriander, cumin, nutmeg, oregano, paprika, rosemary, saffron, lavender, lemon peel, mint, juniper, elderflower, vanilla, wintergreen, perilla, turmeric, saffron, sandalwood, silantro, bergamot, orange flower, myrtle, blackcurrant, valerian, bell pepper, mace, damiana, marjoram, olive, lemon balm, lemon basil, chive, caraway, vervain, 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, namely, Mentha Arvensis, Mentha c.v., Mentha niliaca, Mentha piperita, Mentha piperita citrata c.v., Mentha piperita c.v., Mentha spicata crispa, Mentha cordifolia, Mentha longifolia, Mentha suaveolens variegata, Mentha pulegium, Mentha spicata c.v., and Mentha suaveolens.

[0028] In some embodiments, the active substance comprises or is derived from one or more plant substances or components, derivatives, or extracts thereof, and the plant substance is tobacco.

[0029] In some embodiments, the active substance comprises or is derived from one or more plant substances or components, derivatives, or extracts thereof, and the plant substances are selected from eucalyptus, star anise, cocoa, and hemp.

[0030] In some embodiments, the active substance comprises or is derived from one or more plant substances or components, derivatives, or extracts thereof, and the plant substances are selected from rooibos and fennel.

[0031] In some embodiments, the substance to be delivered comprises a fragrance.

[0032] As used herein, the terms "flavor" and "flavoring" refer to materials that can be used to create a desired taste, aroma, or other somatosensorial sensation in products for adult consumers, where regional regulations permit.Those materials can include naturally-derived flavoring materials, vegetable substances, extracts of vegetable substances, synthetically obtained materials, or combinations thereof (e.g., tobacco, cannabis, licorice, hydrangea, eugenol, hinoki, chamomile, fenugreek, clove, maple, matcha, menthol, Japanese mint, aniseed, cinnamon, turmeric, Indian spice, Asian spice, herb, wintergreen, cherry, berry, redberry, cranberry, peach, apple, orange, mango, clementine, lemon, lime, tropical fruit, papaya, rhubarb, grape, durian, dragon fruit, cucumber, blueberry, mulberry, citrus, damson, bourbon, scotch, whiskey, gin, tequila, rum, spearmint, peppermint, lavender, aloe vera, cardamom, celery, cascarilla, nutmeg, sandalwood, bergamot, geranium, chat, naswar, kinma, shisha, pine, honey essence, rose oil, vanilla, lemon oil, orange oil, orange flower, cherry blossom, cassia, caraway, cognac, jasmine, ylang-ylang, sage, fennel, wasabi, pepper, ginger, coriander, coffee, hemp, any mint oil of the genus Mentha, eucalyptus, star anise, cocoa, lemongrass, rooibos, flax, ginkgo leaf, hashish, hibiscus, laurel, mate, orange peel, rose, tea such as green tea or black tea, thyme, juniper, elderflower, basil, bay leaf, cumin, oregano, paprika, rosemary, saffron, lemon peel, mint, perilla, curcuma, silantro, myrtle, blackcurrant, valerian, pepper, mace, damiana, marjoram, olive, lemon balm, lemon basil, chive, caraway, verbena, tarragon, limonene, thymol, camphor), flavor enhancers, bitter receptor site blockers, sensory receptor site activators or stimulants, sugars and / or alternative sugars (e.g., sucralose, acesulfame potassium, aspartame, saccharin, cyclamate, lactose, sucrose, glucose, fructose, sorbitol, or mannitol), and other additives such as charcoal, chlorophyll, minerals, vegetable substances, or breath fresheners.Those materials may be imitation products, synthetic or natural components, or mixtures thereof. Those materials may be in any suitable form, such as a liquid like oil, a solid like powder, or a gas.

[0033] In some embodiments, the flavorant includes menthol, spearmint, and / or peppermint. In some embodiments, the flavorant includes flavor components of cucumber, blueberry, citrus, and / or redberry. In some embodiments, the flavorant includes eugenol. In some embodiments, the flavorant includes flavor components extracted from tobacco. In some embodiments, the flavorant includes flavor components extracted from cannabis.

[0034] In some embodiments, the flavorant can include sensates that are intended to achieve somatosensory sensations that are chemically induced and perceived by stimulation of the fifth cranial nerve (trigeminal nerve) in addition to or instead of the usual smell or taste nerves, and they can include agents that provide heating, cooling, tingling, or anesthetic effects. Suitable heat-effect agents may include, but are not limited to, vanillyl ethyl ether, and suitable cooling agents may include, but are not limited to, eucalyptol WS-3.

[0035] The aerosol-generating material is a material that can generate an aerosol when activated, for example, by heating, irradiation, or any other method. The aerosol-generating material may be in the form of a solid, liquid, or gel, and may or may not contain an active substance and / or a flavorant. The aerosol-generating material may be incorporated into an article for use in an aerosol-generating system.

[0036] As used herein, the term "tobacco material" refers to any material that includes tobacco or its derivatives or substitutes. The tobacco material may be in any suitable form. The term "tobacco material" can include one or more of tobacco, tobacco derivatives, expanded tobacco, reconstituted tobacco, or tobacco substitutes. The tobacco material can include one or more of shredded tobacco, tobacco fibers, cut tobacco, extruded tobacco, tobacco stems, tobacco laminas, reconstituted tobacco, and / or tobacco extracts.

[0037] The consumable can also include an aerosol generator, for example, a heater that generates heat during use to generate an aerosol in the aerosol-generating material. The heater can include, for example, a combustible material, a material heatable by electrical conduction, or a susceptor.

[0038] The consumable is an article that includes or consists of an aerosol-generating material intended to be at least partially consumed by a user during use. The consumable can include one or more other components, for example, 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 can also include an aerosol generator, for example, a heater that generates heat during use to generate an aerosol in the aerosol-generating material. The heater can include, for example, a combustible material, a material heatable by electrical conduction, or a susceptor.

[0039] A susceptor is a material heatable by the penetration of a varying magnetic field such as an alternating magnetic field. The susceptor may be a conductive material, and the penetration of the varying magnetic field into the conductive material causes inductive heating of the heating material. The heating material may be a magnetic material, and the penetration of the varying magnetic field into the magnetic material causes magnetic hysteresis heating of the heating material. The susceptor may be both conductive and magnetic, and the susceptor can be heated by both heating mechanisms. A device configured to generate a varying magnetic field is referred to herein as a magnetic field generator.

[0040] Induction heating is a process in which a conductive object is heated by passing a fluctuating magnetic field through the object. This process is explained by Faraday's law of induction and Ohm's law. An induction heater can comprise an electromagnet and a device that passes a changing current, such as an alternating current, through the electromagnet. When the electromagnet and the object to be heated are appropriately positioned relative to each other such that the fluctuating magnetic field generated as a result of the electromagnet penetrates the object, one or more eddy currents are generated within the object. The object has a resistance to the flow of current. Thus, when such eddy currents are generated in the object, the object is heated as the flow thereof opposes the electrical resistance of the object. This process is called Joule heating, Ohmic heating, or resistive heating. An object that can be induction heated is known as a susceptor.

[0041] In one embodiment, the susceptor is in the form of a closed circuit. When the susceptor is in the form of a closed circuit, it has been found that the magnetic coupling between the susceptor in use and the electromagnet is enhanced, and as a result, Joule heating is increased or improved.

[0042] Magnetic hysteresis heating is a process in which an object made of a magnetic material is heated by passing a fluctuating magnetic field through the object. The magnetic material can be considered to contain many atomic-scale magnets or magnetic dipoles. When a magnetic field penetrates such a material, the magnetic dipoles align with the magnetic field. Thus, when a fluctuating magnetic field, such as an alternating magnetic field generated by, for example, an electromagnet, penetrates the magnetic material, the orientation of the magnetic dipoles changes due to the applied fluctuating magnetic field. Heat is generated in the magnetic material due to such reorientation of the magnetic dipoles.

[0043] When an object is both conductive and magnetic, passing a fluctuating magnetic field through the object can cause both Joule heating and magnetic hysteresis heating in the object. Further, the use of a magnetic material can enhance the magnetic field and thus enhance Joule heating.

[0044] In each of the above processes, heat is generated not by an external heat source through heat conduction, but inside the object itself. In particular, by selecting an appropriate object material and shape, and by controlling the magnitude and orientation of an appropriate alternating magnetic field applied to the object, a rapid temperature rise and a more uniform heat distribution of the object can be achieved. Furthermore, since induction heating and magnetic hysteresis heating do not require a physical connection between the alternating magnetic field source and the object, the degree of design freedom and the control of the heating profile can be increased, and the cost can be reduced.

[0045] An aerosol modifier is a substance that is usually disposed downstream of the aerosol generation region and is configured to modify the generated aerosol, for example, by changing the taste, fragrance, sourness, or another property of the aerosol. The aerosol modifier may be provided within an aerosol modifier release component operable to selectively release the aerosol modifier.

[0046] The aerosol modifier may be, for example, an additive or an adsorbent. The aerosol modifier may include, for example, one or more of a flavoring agent, a coloring agent, water, and a carbon adsorbent. The aerosol modifier may be, for example, a solid, a liquid, or a gel. The aerosol modifier may be in the form of a powder, a thread, or a granule. The aerosol modifier may not include a filter medium.

[0047] An aerosol generator is a device configured to generate an aerosol from an aerosol-generating material. In some embodiments, the aerosol generator is a heater (e.g., a susceptor) configured to apply thermal energy to the aerosol-generating material and release one or more volatile substances from the aerosol-generating material to form an aerosol. In some embodiments, the aerosol generator is configured to generate an aerosol from the aerosol-generating material without heating. For example, the aerosol generator may be configured to apply to the aerosol-generating material one or more of vibration, high pressure, or electrostatic energy.

[0048] The filament tow material described in this specification can include cellulose acetate fiber tow. The filament tow may be formed using other materials for forming fibers such as polyvinyl alcohol (PVOH), polylactic acid (PLA), polycaprolactone (PCL), poly(1,4-butanediol succinate) (PBS), poly(butylene adipate-co-terephthalate) (PBAT), starch-based materials, cotton, aliphatic polyester materials, and polysaccharide polymers, or combinations thereof. The filament tow may be plasticized using an appropriate plasticizer for the tow such as triacetin where the material is cellulose acetate tow or where the tow may not be plasticized. The tow can have any appropriate specifications. For example, the fiber can have other cross-sections such as a "Y" shape or an "X" shape, the denier per filament value can be 2.5 to 15 denier per filament, for example, 8.0 to 11.0 denier per filament, and the total denier value can be 5,000 to 50,000, for example, 10,000 to 40,000.

[0049] In the drawings described in this specification, the same reference numerals are used to indicate equivalent features, articles, or components.

[0050] Figure 1 is a side cross-sectional view of article 1 for use in an aerosol delivery system.

[0051] Article 1 comprises a mouthpiece 2 and an aerosol generation portion 13 connected to the mouthpiece 2. In this example, the aerosol generation portion 13 comprises a source of aerosol generation material in the form of a cylindrical rod of aerosol generation material 3. In other examples, the aerosol generation portion 13 can comprise a cavity for receiving a source of aerosol generation material. The aerosol generation material can comprise a plurality of strands or shreds of aerosol generation material. For example, the aerosol generation material can comprise a plurality of strands or shreds of aerosolizable material and / or a plurality of strands or shreds of amorphous solid as described below. In some embodiments, the aerosol generation material is composed of a plurality of strands or shreds of aerosolizable material.

[0052] Article 1 is configured to be used in a non-combustible aerosol supply device comprising an induction generator that transmits power for inductively heating susceptor 14 inserted into an aerosol generation portion. In this example, the induction generator is an induction heater, and the article includes an aerosol generator within a rod of aerosol generation material. In this example, the aerosol generator is susceptor 14 for heating aerosol generation material 3.

[0053] In this example, the cylindrical rod of aerosol generation material 3 comprises a plurality of strands and / or shreds of aerosol generation material and is surrounded by wrapper 10. In this example, wrapper 10 is a moisture-impermeable wrapper.

[0054] The plurality of strands or shreds of aerosol generation material may be aligned within the aerosol generation portion 13 such that their longitudinal dimensions are aligned parallel to the longitudinal axis X-X' of article 1. Alternatively, the strands or shreds may typically be arranged such that their aligned longitudinal dimensions cross the longitudinal axis of the article. Or, the aerosol generation material within the aerosol generation portion 13 may be oriented randomly.

[0055] At least about 10%, 20%, 30%, 40%, 50%, 60%, 70%, 80%, 90%, or 95% of the plurality of strands or shreds may be arranged such that their longitudinal dimensions are aligned parallel to the longitudinal axis of the article. Most of the strands or shreds may be arranged such that their longitudinal dimensions are aligned parallel to the longitudinal axis of the article. In some embodiments, about 95% to about 100% of the plurality of strands or shreds are arranged such that their longitudinal dimensions are aligned parallel to the longitudinal axis of the article. In some embodiments, substantially all of the strands or shreds are arranged within the aerosol generation portion such that their longitudinal dimensions are aligned parallel to the longitudinal axis of the aerosol generation portion of the article.

[0056] In this example, the rod of the aerosol - generating material 3 has a circumference of approximately 22.7 mm. In alternative embodiments, the rod of the aerosol - generating material 3 can have any suitable circumference, for example, a circumference of from about 20 mm to about 26 mm.

[0057] As described above, the article 1 includes a susceptor 14. The susceptor 14 is disposed in the aerosol - generating material 3 of the article 1. The susceptor 14 is formed using a susceptor material that can be inductively heated by an induction transmitter. That is, the induction transmitter inductively transmits power to the susceptor, generates an electric current in the susceptor, and heats the susceptor, thereby heating the aerosol - generating material 3 during use.

[0058] The susceptor 14 is preferably incorporated into the aerosol - generating material portion 13 of the article 1 shown in FIG. 1 during the manufacturing process. Alternatively, the susceptor 14 can be inserted into the aerosol - generating material portion 13 of the article 1 at a later stage, for example, by the user. When inserted, the susceptor 14 is disposed within the aerosol - generating material 3.

[0059] In some embodiments, the susceptor 14 extends over substantially the entire length of the aerosol - generating material portion 13. In other embodiments, the susceptor 14 can extend over only a portion of the entire length of the aerosol - generating material portion 13.

[0060] The susceptor 14 comprises a coating that includes an aerosol - generating material and / or an aerosol - modifying material.

[0061] The coating is provided on at least 20% of the outer surface of the susceptor. Preferably, the coating is provided on at least 30%, at least 40%, at least 50%, at least 60%, at least 70%, at least 80%, at least 90%, at least 95%, or 100% of the outer surface of the susceptor.

[0062] The thickness of the coating is 300 microns or less. Preferably, the thickness of the coating is 20 to 300 microns. More preferably, the coating is 50 to 150 microns. Even more preferably, the coating is about 100 microns.

[0063] The susceptor can be made of any suitable conductive material. In particular, the susceptor can be made of a conductive metal, such as ferritic stainless steel (e.g., grade 430). When the susceptor is made of ferritic stainless steel, the thickness of the susceptor is 30 to 50 microns thick. In such a case, preferably, the thickness of the susceptor is about 40 microns.

[0064] The coating can be any suitable coating that generates an aerosol when heated or modifies the generated aerosol. For example, the coating can include an aerosol-forming material such as glycerol or propylene glycol that generates an aerosol upon heating. Alternatively / In addition, the coating can include a flavorant or other means for modifying the generated aerosol.

[0065] In this example, the coating includes an amorphous solid. For example, the coating can be provided in the form of a gel or a dried gel.

[0066] The coating can prevent the intrusion of air and / or moisture from the external environment into the susceptor, or prevent the intrusion of other compounds or materials in the tobacco rod that can accelerate the oxidation or deterioration of the susceptor. In particular, the coating acts as a protective layer by restricting the contact between the oxygen, moisture, and other materials in the ambient environment and the susceptor during storage. Therefore, the deterioration process of the susceptor can be slowed down or reduced. When the susceptor is included in an article, the coating prevents oxygen and / or moisture from the aerosol-forming material from contacting the susceptor material during storage, slowing down the deterioration of the susceptor. Similarly, it prevents compounds or other materials in the rod of the aerosol-forming material 3 that can accelerate the oxidation or deterioration of the susceptor from contacting the susceptor. When the susceptor material is a ferrite metal such as ferritic stainless steel, for example, the coating prevents oxygen and water or other oxidants from causing rust on the susceptor material during storage.

[0067] When the coating is an amorphous solid, the amorphous solid can contain glycerol. The coating can contain, for example, about 20 wt% to 45 wt% of glycerol. In other examples, the amorphous solid may be substantially free of moisture. The high content of glycerol and / or the absence of moisture in the amorphous solid further reduces the intrusion of moisture and / or oxygen into the susceptor.

[0068] In use, the coating is rapidly heated by physical contact with the susceptor element. Thus, the coating is the first component of the article to receive heat from the susceptor. Thus, the coating on the susceptor generates an aerosol before other materials of the article, and the aerosol generated by heating the coating provides the aerosol to the user more rapidly than the aerosol generated by heating the aerosol-forming material 3. Thus, by providing a coating of the aerosol-forming material and / or aerosol-modifying material, the user can perform the first puff in a shorter time compared to an article without a coated susceptor. Thus, this can enhance the user's satisfaction in that rapid aerosol delivery can be received during initial use.

[0069] Additionally or alternatively, the aerosol-forming material and / or aerosol-modifying material can include a flavorant. For example, the flavorant can be a tobacco flavor, a menthol flavor, a fruit flavor, or other suitable flavor as described above. Thus, the first puff resulting from aerosolization of the coating can provide a desired flavor experience to the user.

[0070] The coating can vaporize over time during use of the article. After the coating layer is aerosolized, the susceptor is exposed to the surrounding aerosol-forming material 3 and the air drawn through the article during use. Thus, oxygen and / or moisture can come into direct contact with the surface of the susceptor, deteriorating the susceptor and causing rust, for example, if iron or steel is used as the susceptor material. Thus, the susceptor can decompose after extended use with long exposure to oxygen and moisture.

[0071] The aerosol generating material 3 can further contain a deterioration accelerator. The deterioration accelerator may be, for example, an oxidation accelerator. When the coating vaporizes during use of the article, the deterioration accelerator can assist in the decomposition or destruction (such as rusting) of the susceptor 14. The deterioration accelerator may be any suitable accelerator. For example, the deterioration accelerator can contain salt (NaCl). Salt can be added to the aerosol generating material 3 so as to act as a deterioration accelerator. Therefore, after use of the article, deterioration of the susceptor 14 can be caused to occur more rapidly.

[0072] If the susceptor 14 can deteriorate over time, the remainder of the waste after consumption of the article can be reduced. Therefore, it can be considered that the susceptor 14 is degradable.

[0073] The susceptor 14 in FIG. 1 is shown as being rod-shaped. As used herein, the term "rod" generally refers to an elongated body that can be of any suitable shape for insertion into the aerosol generating material portion 13. In some cases, the rod is substantially cylindrical. However, as will be described later with respect to FIG. 2, the susceptor can be of any suitable shape. With reference to FIG. 2, some alternative shapes of the susceptor will be described in more detail.

[0074] Referring back to FIG. 1, the coating can be an amorphous solid. Alternatively, the amorphous solid can also be referred to as a "monolithic solid" (i.e., non-fibrous). In some embodiments, the amorphous solid can contain a dry gel. The amorphous solid is a solid material that can hold some fluid such as a liquid inside.

[0075] In some examples, the amorphous solid is 1 to 60 wt% of a gelling agent, 0.1 to 50 wt% of an aerosol forming material, 0.1 to 80 wt% of a fragrance, and these weights are calculated on a dry weight basis.

[0076] In some further embodiments, the amorphous solid is comprised of 1 to 50 wt% of a gelling agent, 0.1 to 50 wt% of an aerosol-forming material, and 30 to 60 wt% of a fragrance, wherein these weights are calculated on a dry weight basis.

[0077] Preferably, the amorphous solid can contain about 1 wt%, 5 wt%, 10 wt%, 15 wt%, 20 wt%, or 25 wt% to about 60 wt%, 50 wt%, 45 wt%, 40 wt%, or 35 wt% of the gelling agent (all calculated on a dry weight basis). For example, the amorphous solid can contain 1 to 50 wt%, 5 to 45 wt%, 10 to 40 wt%, or 20 to 35 wt% of the gelling agent. In some embodiments, the gelling agent includes a hydrophilic colloid. In some embodiments, the gelling agent includes one or more compounds selected from the group consisting of alginates, 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 includes one or more of alginate, pectin, hydroxyethyl cellulose, hydroxypropyl cellulose, carboxymethyl cellulose, pullulan, xanthan gum, guar gum, carrageenan, agarose, gum arabic, fumed silica, PDMS, sodium silicate, kaolin, and polyvinyl alcohol. Optionally, the gelling agent includes alginate and / or pectin and may be mixed with a curing agent (such as a calcium source) during the formation of the amorphous solid. Optionally, the amorphous solid can contain calcium-crosslinked alginate and / or calcium-crosslinked pectin.

[0078] In some embodiments, the gelling agent comprises alginate, and the alginate is present in the amorphous solid in an amount of 10-30 wt% (calculated on a dry weight basis) of the amorphous solid. In some embodiments, the 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.

[0079] In some embodiments, the amorphous solid can comprise a gelling agent that includes carrageenan.

[0080] Preferably, the amorphous solid can contain from about 0.1 wt%, 0.5 wt%, 1 wt%, 3 wt%, 5 wt%, 7 wt%, or 10% to about 50 wt%, 45 wt%, 40 wt%, 35 wt%, 30 wt%, or 25 wt% of an aerosol-forming material (all calculated on a dry weight basis). For example, the amorphous solid can contain from 0.5 to 40 wt%, from 3 to 35 wt%, or from 10 to 25 wt% of an aerosol-forming material. In some cases, the aerosol-forming material includes one or more compounds selected from erythritol, propylene glycol, glycerol, triacetin, sorbitol, and xylitol. In some cases, the aerosol-forming material contains glycerol, consists essentially of glycerol, or consists of glycerol.

[0081] The amorphous solid can contain a fragrance. Preferably, the amorphous solid can contain up to about 80 wt%, 70 wt%, 60 wt%, 55 wt%, 50 wt%, or 45 wt% of the fragrance.

[0082] In some cases, the amorphous solid can contain at least about 0.1 wt%, 1 wt%, 10 wt%, 20 wt%, 30 wt%, 35 wt%, or 40 wt% of the fragrance (all calculated on a dry weight basis).

[0083] For example, the amorphous solid can contain 1 to 80 wt%, 10 to 80 wt%, 20 to 70 wt%, 30 to 60 wt%, 35 to 55 wt%, or 30 to 45 wt% of a fragrance. In some cases, the fragrance can contain menthol, consist essentially of menthol, or consist of menthol.

[0084] In some cases, the amorphous solid can further contain an emulsifier that emulsifies the molten fragrance during production. For example, the amorphous solid can contain about 5 wt% to about 15 wt%, preferably about 10 wt% (calculated on a dry weight basis) of an emulsifier. The emulsifier can contain gum arabic.

[0085] In some embodiments, the amorphous solid is a hydrogel and contains less than about 20 wt% water calculated on a wet weight basis. In some cases, the hydrogel can contain less than about 15 wt%, 12 wt%, or 10 wt% water calculated on a wet weight basis. In some cases, the hydrogel can contain at least about 1 wt%, 2 wt%, or at least about 5 wt% water (on a wet weight basis).

[0086] In some embodiments, the amorphous solid further comprises an active substance. For example, in some cases, the amorphous solid further comprises a tobacco material and / or nicotine. In some cases, the amorphous solid can comprise from 5 to 60 wt% (calculated on a dry weight basis) of the tobacco material and / or nicotine. In some cases, the amorphous solid can comprise from about 1 wt%, 5 wt%, 10 wt%, 15 wt%, 20 wt%, or 25 wt% to about 70 wt%, 60 wt%, 50 wt%, 45 wt%, 40 wt%, 35 wt%, or 30 wt% (calculated on a dry weight basis) of the active substance. In some cases, the amorphous solid can comprise from about 1 wt%, 5 wt%, 10 wt%, 15 wt%, 20 wt%, or 25 wt% to about 70 wt%, 60 wt%, 50 wt%, 45 wt%, 40 wt%, 35 wt%, or 30 wt% (calculated on a dry weight basis) of the tobacco material. For example, the amorphous solid can comprise from 10 to 50 wt%, 15 to 40 wt%, or 20 to 35 wt% of the tobacco material. In some cases, the amorphous solid can comprise from about 1 wt%, 2 wt%, 3 wt%, or 4 wt% to about 20 wt%, 18 wt%, 15 wt%, or 12 wt% (calculated on a dry weight basis) of nicotine. For example, the amorphous solid can comprise from 1 to 20 wt%, 2 to 18 wt%, or 3 to 12 wt% of nicotine.

[0087] In some cases, the amorphous solid contains an active substance such as a tobacco extract. In some cases, the amorphous solid can contain 5 to 60 wt% (calculated on a dry weight basis) of the tobacco extract. In some cases, the amorphous solid can contain about 5 wt%, 10 wt%, 15 wt%, 20 wt%, or 25 wt% to about 60 wt%, 50 wt%, 45 wt%, 40 wt%, 35 wt%, or 30 wt% (calculated on a dry weight basis) of the tobacco extract. For example, the amorphous solid can contain 10 to 50 wt%, 15 to 40 wt%, or 20 to 35 wt% of the tobacco extract. The tobacco extract can contain nicotine at a concentration such that the amorphous solid contains 1 wt%, 1.5 wt%, 2 wt%, or 2.5 wt% to about 6 wt%, 5 wt%, 4.5 wt%, or 4 wt% (calculated on a dry weight basis) of nicotine. In some cases, there may be no nicotine in the amorphous solid other than that obtained from the tobacco extract.

[0088] In some embodiments, the amorphous solid does not contain tobacco material but contains nicotine. In some such cases, the amorphous solid can contain about 1 wt%, 2 wt%, 3 wt%, or 4 wt% to about 20 wt%, 18 wt%, 15 wt%, or 12 wt% (calculated on a dry weight basis) of nicotine. For example, the amorphous solid can contain 1 to 20 wt%, 2 to 18 wt%, or 3 to 12 wt% of nicotine.

[0089] In some cases, the total content of the active substance and / or flavor can be at least about 0.1 wt%, 1 wt%, 5 wt%, 10 wt%, 20 wt%, 25 wt%, or 30 wt%. In some cases, the total content of the active substance and / or flavor can be less than about 90 wt%, 80 wt%, 70 wt%, 60 wt%, 50 wt%, or 40 wt% (all calculated on a dry weight basis).

[0090] In some cases, the total content of tobacco material, nicotine, and flavor may be at least about 0.1 wt%, 1 wt%, 5 wt%, 10 wt%, 20 wt%, 25 wt%, or 30 wt%. In some cases, the total content of active substance and / or flavor may be less than about 90 wt%, 80 wt%, 70 wt%, 60 wt%, 50 wt%, or 40 wt% (all calculated on a dry weight basis).

[0091] The amorphous solid may be made from a gel, and this gel can further contain a solvent contained at 0.1 - 50 wt%. However, the inventors have confirmed that including a solvent in which the flavor dissolves may reduce the stability of the gel and that the flavor can crystallize from the gel. Therefore, in some cases, the gel does not contain a solvent in which the flavor dissolves.

[0092] In some embodiments, the amorphous solid contains a filler of less than 60 wt%, for example, 1 wt% - 60 wt%, or 5 wt% - 50 wt%, or 5 wt% - 30 wt%, or 10 wt% - 20 wt%.

[0093] In other embodiments, the amorphous solid contains a filler of less than 20 wt%, preferably less than 10 wt%, or less than 5 wt%. In some cases, the amorphous solid contains a filler of less than 1 wt%, and in some cases, does not contain a filler.

[0094] When a filler is present, the filler can include one or more inorganic filler materials, such as appropriate inorganic adsorbents like calcium carbonate, perlite, vermiculite, diatomaceous earth, colloidal silica, magnesium oxide, magnesium sulfate, magnesium carbonate, and molecular sieves. The filler can include one or more organic filler materials, such as wood pulp, cellulose, and cellulose derivatives. In certain cases, the amorphous solid does not contain calcium carbonate such as chalk.

[0095] In certain embodiments that include 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 including a fibrous filler in an amorphous solid can increase the tensile strength of the material.

[0096] In some embodiments, the amorphous solid does not include tobacco fiber.

[0097] Optionally, the amorphous solid may consist essentially of, or consist of, a gelling agent, water, an aerosol-forming material, a flavor, and optionally an active substance.

[0098] Optionally, the amorphous solid may consist essentially of, or consist of, a gelling agent, water, an aerosol-forming material, a flavor, and optionally a tobacco material and / or a nicotine source.

[0099] The amorphous solid can include one or more active substances and / or flavors, one or more aerosol-forming materials, and optionally one or more other functional materials.

[0100] Optionally, the coating of the amorphous solid can have a thickness of from about 20 microns to about 300 microns. Suitably, the thickness can be from about 50 microns to 200 microns, or from 75 microns to 125 microns. For example, a material having a thickness of about 100 microns can be used. The amorphous solid can include a plurality of layers, and the thicknesses described herein refer to the total thickness of those layers.

[0101] The mouthpiece 2 comprises a cooling portion 8, also referred to as a cooling element, which is disposed immediately downstream of, and adjacent to, a source of the aerosol-generating material 3. In this example, the cooling portion 8 abuts the source of the aerosol-generating material. The mouthpiece 2 also comprises, in this example, a body of material 6 downstream of the cooling portion 8 and a hollow tubular element 4 at the mouth end of the article 1 downstream of the body of material 6.

[0102] The cooling portion 8 comprises a hollow channel having an inner diameter of from about 1 mm to about 4 mm, for example from about 2 mm to about 4 mm. In this example, the hollow channel has an inner diameter of about 3 mm. The hollow channel extends along the entire length of the cooling portion 8. In this example, the cooling portion 8 comprises a single hollow channel. In an alternative embodiment, the cooling portion may comprise a plurality of channels, for example two, three or four channels. In this example, the single hollow channel is substantially cylindrical, although in alternative embodiments other channel shapes / cross-sections may be used. The hollow channel can provide a space in which the aerosol drawn into the cooling portion 8 can expand and cool. In all embodiments, the cooling portion is configured to limit the cross-sectional area of one or more hollow channels and to limit the displacement of tobacco into the cooling portion during use.

[0103] The moisture-impermeable wrapper 10 has low friction with the aerosol-forming material, so that when the aerosol generator is inserted onto the rod of the aerosol-forming material, strands and / or shreds of the aerosol-forming material can be more readily displaced longitudinally into the cooling portion. By providing the cooling portion 8 in direct adjacency to the source of the aerosol-forming material and having an internal channel with a diameter in this range, longitudinal displacement of strands and / or shreds of the aerosol-forming material is reduced when the aerosol generator is inserted onto the rod of the aerosol-forming material, which is advantageous. By reducing the displacement of the aerosol-forming material during use, a more consistent packing density of the aerosol-forming material along the length of the rod and / or within the cavity is obtained, enabling more consistent and improved aerosol generation, which is advantageous.

[0104] The cooling part 8 preferably has a radial wall thickness that can be measured, for example, using calipers. The wall thickness of the cooling part 8 for a given outer diameter of the cooling part defines the inner diameter of the cavity surrounded by the wall of the cooling part 8. The cooling part 8 can have a wall thickness of at least about 1.5 mm to a maximum of about 2 mm. In this example, the cooling part 8 has a wall thickness of about 2 mm. The inventors have found that by providing the cooling part 8 with a wall thickness within this range, during use, when inserting the aerosol generator into an article, by reducing the longitudinal displacement of the strands and / or flakes of the aerosol-forming material, the retention of the aerosol-forming material source in the aerosol-forming part is improved, which is advantageous.

[0105] The cooling part 8 is formed from a filament tow. Other configurations may be used, such as a plurality of paper layers wound parallel and abutting at the seams to form the cooling part 8, or a spirally wound paper layer, a cardboard tube, a tube formed using a process of the paperboard type, a molded or extruded plastic tube. The cooling part 8 is manufactured to have sufficient rigidity to withstand the axial compressive forces and bending moments that can occur during manufacture and during use of the article 1.

[0106] The wall material of the cooling part 8 may be relatively non-porous, and at least 90% of the aerosol generated by the aerosol-forming material 3 passes longitudinally through one or more hollow channels rather than through the wall material of the cooling part 8. For example, at least 92% or at least 95% of the aerosol generated by the aerosol-forming material 3 can pass longitudinally through one or more hollow channels.

[0107] The filament tow forming the cooling portion 8 preferably has a total fineness of less than 45,000, more preferably less than 42,000. It has been found that this total fineness enables the formation of the cooling portion 8 with a density that is not too high. The total fineness is preferably at least 20,000, more preferably at least 25,000. In a preferred embodiment, the filament tow forming the cooling portion 8 has a total fineness of 25,000 to 45,000, more preferably 35,000 to 45,000. The cross-sectional shape of the filaments of the tow is preferably a "Y" shape, although in other embodiments, other shapes such as an "X" shaped filament may be used.

[0108] The filament tow forming the cooling portion 8 preferably has more than 3 denier per filament. It has been found that this denier per filament enables the formation of the tubular element 4 with a density that is not too high. The denier per filament is preferably at least 4, more preferably at least 5. In a preferred embodiment, the filament tow forming the hollow tubular element 4 has 4 to 10, more preferably 4 to 9 denier per filament. In one example, the filament tow forming the cooling portion 8 is formed from cellulose acetate and has 8Y40,000 tow containing 18% plasticizer, such as triacetin.

[0109] The density of the material forming the cooling portion 8 is preferably at least about 0.20 grams per cubic centimeter (g / cc), more preferably at least about 0.25 g / cc. The density of the material forming the cooling portion 8 is preferably less than about 0.80 grams per cubic centimeter (g / cc), more preferably less than 0.6 g / cc. In some embodiments, the density of the material forming the cooling portion 8 is from 0.20 to 0.8 g / cc, more preferably from 0.3 to 0.6 g / cc, or from 0.4 g / cc to 0.6 g / cc, or about 0.5 g / cc. These densities have been found to provide a good balance between the high hardness imparted by the higher density material and minimizing the total weight of the article. For the purposes of the present invention, the "density" of the material forming the cooling portion 8 refers to the density of the filament tow forming the element with any plasticizer incorporated. The density can be determined by dividing the total weight of the material forming the cooling portion 8 by the total volume of the material forming the cooling portion 8, and the total volume can be calculated using appropriate measurements of the material forming the cooling portion 8 obtained, for example, using calipers. If necessary, the appropriate dimensions can be measured using a microscope.

[0110] The length of the cooling portion 8 is preferably less than about 30 mm. The length of the cooling portion 8 is more preferably less than about 25 mm. The length of the cooling portion 8 is even more preferably less than about 20 mm. Additionally or alternatively, the length of the cooling portion 8 is preferably at least about 10 mm. The length of the cooling portion 8 is preferably at least about 15 mm. In some preferred embodiments, the length of the cooling portion 8 is from about 15 mm to about 20 mm, more preferably from about 16 mm to about 19 mm. In this example, the length of the cooling portion 8 is 19 mm.

[0111] The cooling portion 8 is arranged around the void within the mouthpiece 2 that acts as the cooling portion and defines this void. The void provides a chamber through which the heated and volatilized components generated by the rod of the aerosol-forming material 3 flow. The cooling portion 8 is hollow so as to provide a chamber for aerosol accumulation, but has sufficient rigidity to withstand the axial compressive forces and bending moments that can occur during manufacture and during use of the article 1. The cooling portion 8 causes a physical displacement between the aerosol-forming material 3 and the material body 6. The physical displacement brought about by the cooling portion 8 can provide a temperature gradient across the length of the cooling portion 8.

[0112] The mouthpiece 2 preferably comprises a cavity having an internal volume of more than 110 mm 3 It has been found that by providing at least this volume of cavity, improved aerosol formation becomes possible. The mouthpiece 2 is formed, for example, within the cooling portion 8 and has an internal volume of more than 110 mm 3 and more preferably more than 130 mm 3 and more preferably still comprises a cavity having an internal volume of more than 130 mm, which allows for further improvement of the aerosol. In some examples, the internal cavity has a volume of from about 130 mm 3 to about 230 mm 3 , for example about 134 mm 3 or 227 mm 3 .

[0113] The cooling portion 8 may be configured to provide a temperature difference of at least 40 degrees Celsius between the heated and volatilized components entering at the first upstream end of the cooling portion 8 and the heated and volatilized components exiting at the second downstream end of the cooling portion 8. The cooling portion 8 is preferably configured to provide a temperature difference of at least 60 degrees Celsius, preferably at least 80 degrees Celsius, more preferably at least 100 degrees Celsius between the heated and volatilized components entering at the first upstream end of the cooling portion 8 and the heated and volatilized components exiting at the second downstream end of the cooling portion 8. This temperature difference across the length of the cooling portion 8 protects the material body 6, which is sensitive to temperature, from the high temperature of the aerosol-forming material 3 when heated.

[0114] In use, the aerosol generation portion can exhibit a pressure drop of about 15 to about 40 mmHg₂O. In some embodiments, the aerosol generation portion exhibits a pressure drop of about 15 to about 30 mmHg₂O across the aerosol generation portion.

[0115] The aerosol-generating material can have a packing density of about 400 mg / cm 3 to about 900 mg / cm 3 . If the packing density is higher than this, it becomes difficult to insert the aerosol generator of the aerosol supply device into the aerosol-generating material, and the pressure drop may increase. A packing density of less than 400 mg / cm 3 can reduce the rigidity of the article. Furthermore, if the packing density is too low, the aerosol-generating material cannot effectively grip the aerosol generator of the aerosol supply.

[0116] At least about 70% of the volume of the aerosol generation portion is filled with the aerosol-generating material. In some embodiments, the cavity volume is filled with the aerosol-generating material at about 75% to about 85%.

[0117] In this embodiment, the moisture-impermeable wrapper 10 surrounding the rod of the aerosol-generating material includes an aluminum foil. In other embodiments, the wrapper 10 includes a paper wrapper, which optionally includes a barrier coating that substantially renders the material of the wrapper moisture-impermeable. The aluminum foil has been found to be particularly effective in enhancing the formation of the aerosol within the aerosol-generating material 3. In this example, the aluminum foil has a metal layer with a thickness of about 6 μm. In this example, the aluminum foil has a paper backing. However, in an alternative configuration, the aluminum foil may have other thicknesses, such as a thickness of 4 μm to 16 μm. The aluminum foil does not necessarily have to have a paper backing and may, for example, have a backing formed from other materials that help provide the foil with an appropriate tensile strength, or may not have a backing material at all. A metal layer or foil other than aluminum may be used. The total thickness of the wrapper is preferably 20 μm to 60 μm, more preferably 30 μm to 50 μm, thereby providing a wrapper with appropriate structural integrity and heat transfer characteristics. The tensile force that can be applied to the wrapper until it breaks may be a force greater than 3,000 grams, such as a force of 3,000 to 10,000 grams or a force of 3,000 to 4,500 grams. When the wrapper includes paper or a paper backing, i.e., a cellulosic material, the wrapper can have a basis weight greater than about 30 gsm. For example, the wrapper can have a basis weight of about 40 gsm to about 70 gsm. The inventors have found that such a basis weight provides high rigidity to the rod of the aerosol-generating material, which is advantageous. The high rigidity provided by the wrapper having this range of basis weight can make the rod of the aerosol-generating material 3 more resistant to the occurrence of wrinkles or other deformations due to the forces exerted by the article during use, for example, when inserting the article into the device and / or when inserting the heat generator into the article. Providing a rod of the aerosol-generating material with high rigidity can be advantageous when a plurality of strands or pieces of the aerosol-generating material are aligned within the aerosol-generating portion such that their longitudinal dimensions are aligned parallel to the longitudinal axis.This is because the strands or shreds of the aerosol-forming material aligned in the longitudinal direction can impart a lower rigidity to the rod of the aerosol-forming material than when the strands or shreds are not aligned. Due to the high rigidity of the rod of the aerosol-forming material, the article can withstand the large forces that the article experiences during use.

[0118] In this example, the moisture-impermeable wrapper 10 is also substantially airtight. In an alternative embodiment, the wrapper 10 preferably has an air permeability of less than 100 Gurley units, more preferably less than 60 Gurley units. For example, a low-air-permeability wrapper having an air permeability of less than 100 Gurley units, more preferably less than 60 Gurley units, has been found to enhance aerosol formation in the aerosol-forming material 3. Without wishing to be bound by theory, this is presumably due to a reduction in the loss of aerosol compounds through the wrapper 10. The air permeability of the wrapper 10 can be measured according to ISO 2965:2009 regarding the measurement of the air permeability of materials used as cigarette paper, filter plug wrap, and filter joining paper.

[0119] The material body 6 and the hollow tubular element 4 each define a generally cylindrical overall outer shape and share a common longitudinal axis. The material body 6 is wrapped by the first plug wrap 7. The first plug wrap 7 preferably has a basis weight of less than 50 gsm, more preferably about 20 gsm to 40 gsm. The first plug wrap 7 preferably has a thickness of 30 μm to 60 μm, more preferably 35 μm to 45 μm. The first plug wrap 7 is preferably a non-porous plug wrap having an air permeability of less than 100 Gurley units, for example less than 50 Gurley units. However, in other embodiments, the first plug wrap 7 may be a porous plug wrap having an air permeability of more than 200 Gurley units, for example.

[0120] The length of the material body 6 is preferably less than about 15 mm. More preferably, the length of the material body 6 is less than about 12 mm. Additionally or alternatively, the length of the material body 6 is at least about 5 mm. Preferably, the length of the material body 6 is at least about 8 mm. In some preferred embodiments, the length of the material body 6 is from about 5 mm to about 15 mm, more preferably from about 6 mm to about 12 mm, still more preferably from about 6 mm to about 12 mm, and most preferably about 6 mm, 7 mm, 8 mm, 9 mm, or 10 mm. In this example, the length of the material body 6 is 10 mm.

[0121] In this example, the material body 6 is formed from a filament tow. In this example, the tow used for the material body 6 has a denier per filament (d.p.f.) of 5 and a total fineness of 25,000. In this example, the tow includes a plasticized cellulose acetate tow. The plasticizer used for the tow includes about 9 wt% of the tow. In this example, the plasticizer is triacetin. In other examples, different materials may be used to form the material body 6. For example, the material body 6 may be formed from paper, similar to a paper filter known for use in cigarettes, rather than tow. For example, paper or other cellulosic materials can be provided as one or more portions of a sheet material, and the sheet material is folded and / or crimped to form the material body 6. The sheet material can have a basis weight of 15 gsm to 60 gsm, such as 20 to 50 gsm. The sheet material can have a basis weight of, for example, any of 15 - 25 gsm, 25 - 30 gsm, 30 - 40 gsm, 40 - 45 gsm, and 45 - 50 gsm. Additionally or alternatively, the sheet material can have a width of 50 mm to 200 mm, such as 60 mm to 150 mm, or 80 mm to 150 mm. For example, the sheet material can have a basis weight of 20 - 50 gsm and a width of 80 mm to 150 mm. Thereby, for example, a cellulosic material body can have an appropriate pressure drop for an article having the dimensions described herein.

[0122] Alternatively, the material body 6 may be formed from a tow other than cellulose acetate, such as polylactic acid (PLA), filaments of other materials described herein, or similar materials. The tow is preferably formed from cellulose acetate. The tow preferably has at least 5 d.p.f., whether formed from cellulose acetate or other materials. To obtain a sufficiently uniform material body 6, the tow preferably has a denier per filament of 12 d.p.f. or less, preferably 11 d.p.f. or less, and more preferably 10 d.p.f. or less.

[0123] The total fineness of the tow forming the material body 6 is preferably at most 30,000, more preferably at most 28,000, and even more preferably at most 25,000. These total fineness values provide a tow that occupies a small proportion of the cross-sectional area of the mouthpiece 2, so that the pressure drop across the mouthpiece 2 is smaller than that of a tow having a higher total fineness value. For an appropriate hardness of the material body 6, the tow preferably has a total fineness of at least 8,000, more preferably at least 10,000. The denier per filament is preferably 5 to 12, and the total fineness is preferably 10,000 to 25,000. The cross-sectional shape of the filaments of the tow is preferably a "Y" shape, but in other embodiments, other shapes such as an "X" shaped filament having the same d.p.f. and total fineness values provided herein may be used.

[0124] Regardless of the material used to form the material body 6, the pressure drop across the material body 6 may be, for example, 0.3 to 5 mmWG per 1 mm length of the material body 6, for example, 0.5 mmWG to 2 mmWG per 1 mm length of the material body 6. The pressure drop may be, for example, 0.5 to 1 mmWG per 1 mm length, 1 to 1.5 mmWG per 1 mm length, or 1.5 to 2 mmWG per 1 mm length. The total pressure drop across the material body 6 may be, for example, 3 mmWG to 8 mWG, or 4 mmWG to 7 mmWG. The total pressure drop across the material body 6 may be about 5, 6, or 7 mmWG.

[0125] As shown in Figure 1, the mouthpiece 2 of the article 1 comprises an upstream end 2a adjacent to the rod of the aerosol-forming material 3 and a downstream end 2b remote from the rod of the aerosol-forming material 3. At the downstream end 2b, the mouthpiece 2 has a hollow tubular element 4 formed from a filament tow. It has been found to be advantageous that, during use of the article 1, at the downstream end 2b of the mouthpiece which contacts the consumer's mouth, the temperature of the outer surface of the mouthpiece 2 is significantly reduced. Additionally, it has been found that the use of the tubular element 4 also significantly reduces the temperature of the outer surface of the mouthpiece 2 upstream of the tubular element 4. Without wishing to be bound by theory, this is assumed to be due to the tubular element 4 passing the aerosol near the centre of the mouthpiece 2, thereby suppressing the transfer of heat from the aerosol to the outer surface of the mouthpiece 2.

[0126] The "wall thickness" of the hollow tubular element 4 corresponds to the thickness of the wall of the tube 4 in the radial direction. This can be measured, for example, using calipers. Advantageously, the wall thickness is greater than 0.9 mm, more preferably greater than 1.0 mm. Preferably, the wall thickness is substantially constant around the entire circumference of the wall of the hollow tubular element 4. However, if the wall thickness is not substantially constant, the wall thickness is greater than 0.9 mm, more preferably greater than 1.0 mm, at any point around the hollow tubular element 4. In this example, the wall thickness of the hollow tubular element 4 is about 1.3 mm.

[0127] Preferably, the length of the hollow tubular element 4 is less than about 20 mm. More preferably, the length of the hollow tubular element 4 is less than about 15 mm. Even more preferably, the length of the hollow tubular element 4 is less than about 10 mm. Additionally or alternatively, the length of the hollow tubular element 4 is at least about 5 mm. Preferably, the length of the hollow tubular element 4 is at least about 6 mm. In some preferred embodiments, the length of the hollow tubular element 4 is from about 5 mm to about 20 mm, more preferably from about 6 mm to about 10 mm, even more preferably from about 6 mm to about 8 mm, and most preferably about 6 mm, 7 mm, or about 8 mm. In this example, the length of the hollow tubular element 4 is 7 mm.

[0128] The density of the hollow tubular element 4 is preferably at least about 0.25 grams per cubic centimeter (g / cc), more preferably at least about 0.3 g / cc. The density of the hollow tubular element 4 is preferably less than about 0.75 grams per cubic centimeter (g / cc), more preferably less than 0.6 g / cc. In some embodiments, the density of the hollow tubular element 4 is from 0.25 to 0.75 g / cc, more preferably from 0.3 to 0.6 g / cc, even more preferably from 0.4 g / cc to 0.6 g / cc, or about 0.5 g / cc. These densities have been found to provide a good balance between the high hardness provided by the higher density material and the lower heat transfer properties of the lower density material. For the purposes of the present invention, the "density" of the hollow tubular element 4 refers to the density of the filament tow forming the element with any plasticizer incorporated. The density can be determined by dividing the total weight of the hollow tubular element 4 by the total volume of the hollow tubular element 4, and the total volume can be calculated using appropriate measurements of the hollow tubular element 4 obtained, for example, using calipers. If necessary, the appropriate dimensions can be measured using a microscope.

[0129] The filament tow forming the hollow tubular element 4 preferably has a total denier of less than 45,000, more preferably less than 42,000. This total denier has been found to enable the formation of a tubular element 4 with a density that is not too high. The total denier is preferably at least 20,000, more preferably at least 25,000. In a preferred embodiment, the filament tow forming the hollow tubular element 4 has a total denier from 25,000 to 45,000, more preferably from 35,000 to 45,000. The cross-sectional shape of the filaments of the tow is preferably "Y"-shaped, although in other embodiments other shapes such as "X"-shaped filaments may be used.

[0130] The filament tow forming the hollow tubular element 4 preferably has a denier per filament of more than 3. It has been found that this denier per filament enables the formation of a tubular element 4 with a density that is not too high. The denier per filament is preferably at least 4, more preferably at least 5. In a preferred embodiment, the filament tow forming the hollow tubular member 4 has a denier per filament of 4 to 10, more preferably 4 to 9. In one example, the filament tow forming the hollow tubular element 4 is formed from cellulose acetate and has 7.3Y36,000 tow containing 18% plasticizer, such as triacetin.

[0131] The hollow tubular element 4 preferably has an inner diameter of more than 3.0 mm. If the inner diameter is smaller than this, the speed of the aerosol reaching the consumer's mouth through the mouthpiece 2 becomes undesirably fast, and the aerosol may become too warm, for example reaching a temperature above 40 °C or above 45 °C. The hollow tubular element 4 more preferably has an inner diameter of more than 3.1 mm, even more preferably more than 3.5 mm or 3.6 mm. In one embodiment, the inner diameter of the hollow tubular element 4 is about 4.7 mm.

[0132] The hollow tubular element 4 preferably contains 15 wt% to 22 wt% plasticizer. In the case of cellulose acetate tow, the plasticizer is preferably triacetin, but other plasticizers such as polyethylene glycol (PEG) may be used. The hollow tubular element 4 more preferably contains 16 wt% to 20 wt% plasticizer, such as about 17%, about 18%, or about 19% plasticizer.

[0133] In this example, the first hollow tubular element 4, the material body 6, and the cooling part 8 are combined using a second plug wrap 9, which is wrapped around all three parts. The second plug wrap 9 preferably has a basis weight of less than 50 gsm, more preferably about 20 gsm to 45 gsm. The second plug wrap 9 preferably has a thickness of 30 μm to 60 μm, more preferably 35 μm to 45 μm. The second plug wrap 9 is preferably a non-porous plug wrap having an air permeability of less than 100 Gurley units, for example less than 50 Gurley units. However, in an alternative embodiment, the second plug wrap 9 may be a porous plug wrap having an air permeability of more than 200 Gurley units, for example.

[0134] In this example, the article 1 has an outer circumference of about 23 mm. In other examples, the article may be provided in any of the formats described herein having an outer circumference of, for example, 20 mm to 26 mm. Since the article is heated to emit an aerosol, an improvement in heating efficiency can be achieved by using an article having a smaller outer circumference within this range, for example a circumference of less than 23 mm. It has also been found that a circumference of more than 19 mm is particularly effective for achieving an improved aerosol upon heating while maintaining an appropriate product length. Articles having a circumference of 20 mm to 24 mm, more preferably 20 mm to 23 mm, have been found to provide a good balance between performing effective aerosol delivery and enabling efficient heating.

[0135] The tip paper 5 is wrapped around the entire length of the mouthpiece 2 and a part of the rod of the aerosol-generating material 3 and has an adhesive on its inner surface to connect the mouthpiece 2 and the rod 3. In this example, the rod of the aerosol-generating material 3 is wrapped in a wrapper 10 that forms a first wrapping material, and the tip paper 5 forms an outer wrapping material that extends at least partially over the rod of the aerosol-generating material 3 to connect the mouthpiece 2 and the rod 3. In some examples, the tip paper can extend only partially over the rod of the aerosol-generating material.

[0136] In this example, the chip paper 5 extends over 5 mm on the rod of the aerosol-generating material 3. Alternatively, it may extend over 3 mm to 10 mm, or more preferably 4 mm to 6 mm, on the rod 3 to securely attach the mouthpiece 2 and the rod 3. The chip paper can have a basis weight of more than 20 gsm, for example more than 25 gsm, or preferably more than 30 gsm, for example 37 gsm. It has been found that with basis weights in these ranges, a chip paper can be obtained that has an acceptable tensile strength while having sufficient flexibility to wrap around the article 1 and adhere to the chip paper itself along the longitudinal butt joint of the paper. After being wrapped around the mouthpiece, the outer circumference of the chip paper 5 is approximately 23 mm.

[0137] The article has a ventilation level of about 10% of the aerosol drawn through the article. In an alternative embodiment, the article can have a ventilation level of 1% to 20%, for example 1% to 12%, of the aerosol drawn through the article. These levels of ventilation help to increase the concentration of the aerosol inhaled by the user at the mouth end 2b and also assist in the cooling process of the aerosol. The ventilation part is provided directly in the mouthpiece 2 of the article 1. In this example, the ventilation part is provided in the cooling part 8, which has been found to be particularly advantageous for assisting the aerosol generation process. The ventilation part is in this case provided by perforations 12 formed as a single row of laser perforations located 13 mm from the mouth end 2b downstream of the mouthpiece 2. In an alternative embodiment, two or more rows of ventilation perforations may be provided. These perforations pass through the chip paper 5, the second plug wrap 9, and the cooling part 8. In an alternative embodiment, the ventilation part may be provided at other positions of the mouthpiece, such as the material body 6 or the first tubular element 4. The article is preferably configured such that perforations are provided at about 28 mm or less from the upstream end of the article 1, preferably at 20 mm to 28 mm from the upstream end of the article 1. In this example, the opening is provided at about 25 mm from the upstream end of the article.

[0138] Figure 2a is a side cross-sectional view of a further article 1' comprising a capsule-containing mouthpiece 2'. Figure 2b is a cross-sectional view of the capsule-containing mouthpiece shown in Figure 2a taken along line A-A'. The article 1' and the capsule-containing mouthpiece 2' are the same as the article 1 and the mouthpiece 2 shown in Figure 1, except that the aerosol modifier is provided within the material body 6 in the form of capsules 11 in this example, and the oil-resistant first plug wrap 7' surrounds the material body 6. In other examples, the aerosol modifier can be provided in other forms such as a material injected into the material body 6, or can be provided on a thread disposed within the material body 6, for example, a thread that holds a flavorant or other aerosol modifier.

[0139] The capsules 11 can include breakable capsules, for example, capsules having a solid, fragile shell surrounding a liquid payload. In this example, a single capsule 11 is used. The capsule 11 is fully embedded within the material body 6. In other words, the capsule 11 is completely surrounded by the material forming the material body 6. In other examples, a plurality of breakable capsules, for example, two, three or more breakable capsules, may be disposed within the material body 6. The length of the material body 6 can be increased to accommodate the required number of capsules. In examples where a plurality of capsules are used, the individual capsules may be the same as each other or may differ from each other with respect to size and / or capsule payload. In other examples, a plurality of material bodies 6, each including one or more capsules, may be provided.

[0140] The capsule 11 has a core-shell structure. In other words, the capsule 11 includes a shell that encapsulates a liquid agent such as a flavoring agent or other auxiliary agent, which can be any one of the flavoring agents or aerosol modifiers described in this specification. The user can rupture the shell of the capsule to release the flavoring agent or other auxiliary agent into the material body 6. The first plug wrap 7' can include a barrier coating that renders the material of the plug wrap substantially impermeable to the liquid payload of the capsule 11. Alternatively or in addition, the second plug wrap 9 and / or the chip paper 5 can include a barrier coating that renders the material of the plug wrap and / or the chip paper substantially impermeable to the liquid payload of the capsule 11.

[0141] In this example, the capsule 11 is spherical and has a diameter of about 3 mm. In other examples, other shapes and sizes of the capsule may be used. For example, the capsule can have a diameter of less than 4 mm, or less than 3.5 mm, or less than 3.25 mm. In an alternative embodiment, the capsule can have a diameter of more than about 3.25 mm, such as more than 3.5 mm, or more than 4 mm. The total weight of the capsule 11 may range from about 10 mg to about 50 mg.

[0142] In this example, the capsule 11 is disposed at the longitudinal center position within the material body 6. That is, the center of the capsule 11 is disposed 5 mm from each end of the material body 6. In this example, the center of the capsule is disposed 36 mm from the upstream end of the article 1. The capsule is preferably disposed such that its center is from 28 mm to 38 mm from the upstream end of the article 1, more preferably from 34 mm to 38 mm from the upstream end of the article 1. In this example, the center of the capsule is disposed 12 mm from the downstream end of the mouthpiece 2b. By providing the capsule at this position, the proximity of the capsule to the aerosol-generating portion of the article heated during use enhances the volatilization of the capsule contents, and by being sufficiently far from the aerosol-generating portion inserted into the aerosol supply system during use, the user can easily reach the capsule and rupture it with a finger.

[0143] In other examples, the capsule 11 may be disposed at a position other than the longitudinal center position of the material body 6, that is, near the downstream end rather than the upstream end of the material body 6, or near the upstream end rather than the downstream end of the material body 6. The mouthpiece 2' is preferably configured such that the capsule 11 and the vent hole 12 are longitudinally displaced from each other in the mouthpiece 2'. For example, the vent hole 12 may be provided immediately upstream of the capsule position, that is, about 1 mm to about 10 mm upstream of the capsule position.

[0144] In the examples of FIGS. 1 and 2, the aerosol-generating material comprises a sheet or shredded sheet of aerosolizable material. The aerosolizable material is arranged to generate an aerosol when heated.

[0145] The sheet or shredded sheet comprises a first surface and a second surface opposite the first surface. The dimensions of the first surface and the second surface are the same. The first surface and the second surface of the sheet or shredded sheet can have any shape. For example, the first surface and the second surface may be square, rectangular, oval, or circular. Irregular shapes are also envisioned.

[0146] The first surface and / or the second surface of the sheet or shredded sheet may be relatively uniform (e.g., relatively smooth), or may be non-uniform or irregular. For example, the first surface and / or the second surface of the sheet may be textured or patterned to define a relatively rough surface. In some embodiments, the first surface and / or the second surface are relatively rough.

[0147] The smoothness of the first surface and the second surface can be affected by several factors, such as the areal density of the sheet or shredded sheet, the nature of the components constituting the aerosolizable material, or whether the surface of the material has been treated, for example embossed, engraved, or modified by other methods, so as to be given a pattern or texture.

[0148] The areas of the first and second surfaces are each defined by a first dimension (e.g., width) and a second dimension (e.g., length). The measured values of the first dimension and the second dimension can have a ratio of 1:1 or greater than 1:1, and thus, the sheet or the shredded sheet can have an "aspect ratio" of 1:1 or greater than 1:1. As used herein, the term "aspect ratio" is the ratio of the measured value of the first dimension of the first or second surface to the measured value of the second dimension of the first or second surface. A "1:1 aspect ratio" means that the measured value of the first dimension (e.g., width) is the same as the measured value of the second dimension (e.g., length). An "aspect ratio greater than 1:1" means that the measured value of the first dimension (e.g., width) is different from the measured value of the second dimension (e.g., length). In some embodiments, the first and second surfaces of the sheet or the shredded sheet have an aspect ratio greater than 1:1, such as 1:2, 1:3, 1:4, 1.5, 1:6, 1:7, or more.

[0149] The shredded sheet can comprise one or more strands or pieces of aerosolizable material. In some embodiments, the shredded sheet comprises a plurality (e.g., two or more) strands or pieces of aerosolizable material. The strands or pieces of aerosolizable material can have a 1:1 aspect ratio. In embodiments, the strands or pieces of aerosolizable material have an aspect ratio greater than 1:1. In some embodiments, the strands or pieces of aerosolizable material have an aspect ratio of about 1.5 to about 1:16, i.e., about 1.5, 1:6, 1:7, 1:8, 1:9, 1:10, 1:11, or 1:12. When the aspect ratio of the strand or piece is greater than 1:1, the strand or piece includes a longitudinal dimension or length that extends between a first end of the strand or piece and a second end of the strand or piece.

[0150] When the shredded sheet comprises a plurality of strands or pieces of material, the dimensions of each strand or piece can vary between different strands or pieces. For example, the shredded sheet can include a first population of strands or pieces and a second population of strands or pieces, and the dimensions of the strands or pieces in the first population are different from the dimensions of the strands or pieces in the second population. In other words, the plurality of strands or pieces can include a first population of strands or pieces having a first aspect ratio and a second population of strands or pieces having a second aspect ratio different from the first aspect ratio.

[0151] The first dimension of the strands or pieces of aerosolizable material, i.e., the cut width, is from 0.9 mm to 1.5 mm. Incorporating strands or pieces of aerosolizable material having a cut width of less than 0.9 mm into an article for use in a non-combustible aerosol supply system can increase the pressure drop across the article to a level where it is not suitable for use in a non-combustible aerosol supply device. However, when the strands or pieces have a cut width greater than 2 mm (e.g., greater than 2 mm), it can become difficult to insert the strands or pieces of aerosolizable material into the article during manufacture. In a preferred embodiment, the cut width of the strands or pieces of aerosolizable material is from about 1 mm to 1.5 mm.

[0152] The strands or pieces of material are formed by shredding a sheet of aerosolizable material. The sheet of aerosolizable material may be cut transversely, for example in a cross-cut shredding process, to define in addition to the cut width the cut length of the strands or pieces of aerosolizable material. The cut length of the shredded aerosolizable material is preferably at least 5 mm, such as at least 10 mm, or at least 20 mm. The cut length of the shredded aerosolizable material may be less than 60 mm, less than 50 mm, or less than 40 mm.

[0153] In some embodiments, a plurality of strands or shreds of aerosolizable material are provided, and at least one of the plurality of strands or shreds of aerosolizable material has a length greater than about 10 mm. Alternatively or additionally, at least one of the plurality of strands or shreds of aerosolizable material can have a length of about 10 mm to about 60 mm, or about 20 mm to about 50 mm. Each of the plurality of strands or shreds of aerosolizable material can have a length of about 10 mm to about 60 mm or about 20 mm to about 50 mm.

[0154] A sheet or shredded sheet of aerosolizable material has a thickness of at least about 100 μm. The sheet or shredded sheet can have a thickness of at least about 120 μm, 140 μm, 160 μm, 180 μm, or 200 μm. In some embodiments, the sheet or shredded sheet has a thickness of about 150 μm to about 300 μm, about 151 μm to about 299 μm, about 152 μm to about 298 μm, about 153 μm to about 297 μm, about 154 μm to about 296 μm, about 155 μm to about 295 μm, about 156 μm to about 294 μm, about 157 μm to about 293 μm, about 158 μm to about 292 μm, about 159 μm to about 291 μm, or about 160 μm to about 290 μm. In some embodiments, the sheet or shredded sheet has a thickness of about 170 μm to about 280 μm, about 180 to about 270 μm, about 190 to about 260 μm, about 200 μm to about 250 μm, or about 210 μm to about 240 μm.

[0155] The thickness of the sheet or shredded sheet can vary between a first surface and a second surface. In some embodiments, individual shreds or sections of aerosolizable material have a minimum thickness of about 100 μm over their area. In some cases, individual shreds or sections of aerosolizable material have a minimum thickness of about 0.05 mm or about 0.1 mm over their area. In some cases, individual shreds, strands, or sections of aerosolizable material have a maximum thickness of about 1.0 mm over their area. In some cases, individual shreds or sections of aerosolizable material have a maximum thickness of about 0.5 mm or about 0.3 mm over their area.

[0156] The thickness of the sheet can be determined using ISO 534:2011 "Paper and board - Determination of thickness".

[0157] The inventors have confirmed that when the sheet or shredded sheet of the aerosolizable material is too thick, the heating efficiency may decrease. This may have an adverse effect on the power consumption during use, for example, the power consumption for releasing the fragrance from the aerosolizable material. Conversely, when the aerosolizable material is too thin, manufacturing and handling may become difficult. A very thin material is more difficult to cast, is fragile, and may hinder aerosol formation during use.

[0158] It is assumed that when the sheet or shredded sheet of the aerosolizable material is too thin (e.g., less than 100 μm), it may be necessary to increase the cutting width of the shredded sheet in order to achieve sufficient filling of the aerosolizable material when incorporating the aerosolizable material into the article. As described above, increasing the cutting width of the shredded sheet may increase the pressure drop, which is not desirable.

[0159] About 100 g / m 2 ~ About 250 g / m 2 A sheet or shredded sheet having a thickness of at least about 100 μm with a basis weight of about 100 g / m to about 250 g / m is assumed to be less prone to tearing, cracking, or deforming in other ways during manufacture. A thickness of at least about 100 μm can provide a favorable effect on the overall structural integrity and strength of the sheet or shredded sheet. For example, this thickness can have good tensile strength and thus can be relatively easy to process.

[0160] The thickness of the sheet or shredded sheet is considered to be related to its basis weight. That is, increasing the thickness of the sheet or shredded sheet may increase the basis weight of the sheet or shredded sheet.

[0161] Conversely, reducing the thickness of the sheet or shredded sheet may reduce the areal density of the sheet or shredded sheet. To avoid misunderstanding, when referring to areal density in this specification, this refers to the average areal density calculated for a given piece, strand, section, or sheet of aerosolizable material, which is calculated by measuring the surface area and weight of the given piece, strand, section, or sheet of aerosolizable material.

[0162] A sheet or shredded sheet of aerosol - generating material has an areal density of from about 100 g / m 2 to about 250 g / m 2 . The sheet or shredded sheet can have an areal density of from about 110 g / m 2 to about 240 g / m 2 , from about 120 g / m 2 to about 230 g / m 2 , from about 130 g / m 2 to about 220 g / m 2 , or from about 140 g / m 2 to about 210 g / m 2 . In some embodiments, the sheet or shredded sheet has an areal density of from about 130 g / m 2 to about 190 g / m 2 , from about 140 g / m 2 to about 180 g / m 2 , from about 150 g / m 2 to about 170 g / m 2 . In a preferred embodiment, the sheet or shredded sheet has an areal density of about 160 g / m 2 .

[0163] An areal density of from about 100 g / m 2 to about 250 g / m 2 is thought to contribute to the strength and flexibility of the sheet or shredded sheet. Further, a rod containing a shredded sheet of aerosolizable material having an areal density of about 180 gsm and a minimum thickness of 220 - 230 μm can be filled such that the aerosolizable material remains in place within the rod, maintains a desired weight of tobacco material (e.g., about 300 mg) within the rod, and delivers acceptable sensory stimulation characteristics (e.g., taste and aroma) when heated in a non - combusting aerosol - delivery device.

[0164] The flexibility of the sheet or shredded sheet is thought to depend, at least in part, on the thickness and areal density of the sheet or shredded sheet. A thicker sheet or shredded sheet can be less flexible than a thinner sheet or shredded sheet. Also, the greater the areal density of the sheet, the lower the flexibility of the sheet or shredded sheet. The combination of thickness and areal density of the aerosolizable material described herein is thought to provide a sheet or shredded sheet with relatively high flexibility. When incorporating the aerosolizable material into an article for use in a non-combustible aerosol delivery device, this flexibility can provide various advantages. For example, when inserting a susceptor into the aerosol-forming material, the strands or flakes can be easily deformed and bent and gathered around the susceptor, facilitating insertion of the susceptor into the material and improving retention of the aerosol generator by the aerosolizable material.

[0165] The areal density of the sheet or shredded sheet of the aerosol-forming material affects the roughness of the first and second surfaces of the sheet or shredded sheet. By varying the areal density, the roughness of the first and / or second surface can be adjusted.

[0166] The average volume density of the sheet or shredded sheet of the aerosol-forming material can be calculated from the thickness of the sheet and the areal density of the sheet. The average volume density is about 0.2 g / cm 3 sup, about 0.3 g / cm 3 or about 0.4 g / cm 3 and may be. In some embodiments, the average volume density is about 0.2 g / cm 3 to about 1 g / cm 3 about 0.3 g / cm 3 to about 0.9 g / cm 3 about 0.4 g / cm 3 to about 0.9 g / cm 3 about 0.5 g / cm 3 to about 0.9 g / cm 3 or about 0.6 g / cm 3 to about 0.9 g / cm 3 and may be.

[0167] According to an aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a sheet or shredded sheet of aerosolizable material comprising a tobacco material, an aerosol-forming material, and a binder, the sheet or shredded sheet having a density of greater than about 0.4 g / cm 3 An aerosol-generating material having a density of greater than about 0.4 g / cm 3 to about 2.9 g / cm 3 , from about 0.4 g / cm 3 to about 1 g / cm 3 , from about 0.6 cm 3 to about 1.6 cm 3 or from about 1.6 cm 3 to about 2.9 cm 3 is provided.

[0168] The sheet or shredded sheet can have a tensile strength of at least 4 N / 15 mm.

[0169] If the sheet or shredded sheet has a tensile strength of less than 4 N / 15 mm, the sheet or shredded sheet is prone to tearing, breaking, or otherwise deforming during manufacture and / or incorporation into an article for use in a non-combustible aerosol supply system. The tensile strength can be measured using ISO 1924:2008.

[0170] The aerosol-generating material of the aerosol generation section 13 includes a tobacco material. The sheet or shredded sheet of aerosolizable material includes a tobacco material.

[0171] The tobacco material may be a particulate or granular material. In some embodiments, the tobacco material is a powder. Alternatively or in addition, the tobacco material can include tobacco shreds, strands, or fibers. For example, the tobacco material can include tobacco particles, granules, fibers, shreds, and / or strands. In some embodiments, the tobacco material is composed of particles or granules of the tobacco material.

[0172] The density of the tobacco material affects the rate at which heat conducts through the material. When the density is low, for example, less than 900 mg / cc, heat conducts more slowly through the material, enabling a more sustained aerosol release.

[0173] The tobacco material can include a regenerated tobacco material having a density of less than about 900 mg / cc, such as a paper regenerated tobacco material. For example, the aerosol-forming material can include a regenerated tobacco material having a density of less than about 800 mg / cc. Alternatively or in addition, the aerosol-forming material can include a regenerated tobacco material having a density of at least 350 mg / cc.

[0174] The regenerated tobacco material may be provided in the form of shredded sheets. The sheets of regenerated tobacco material can have any suitable thickness. The regenerated tobacco material can have a thickness of at least about 0.145 mm, such as at least about 0.15 mm or at least about 0.16 mm. The regenerated tobacco material can have a maximum thickness of about 0.30 mm or 0.25 mm. For example, the thickness of the regenerated tobacco material may be less than about 0.22 mm or less than about 0.2 mm. In some embodiments, the regenerated tobacco material can have an average thickness in the range of 0.175 mm to 0.195 mm.

[0175] In some embodiments, the tobacco is a particulate tobacco material. Each particle of the particulate tobacco material can have a maximum dimension. As used herein, the term "maximum dimension" refers to the longest straight-line distance from any point on the surface or particle face of a tobacco particle to any other point on the surface or particle face of the same tobacco particle. The maximum dimension of the particles of the particulate tobacco material can be measured using scanning electron microscopy (SEM).

[0176] The maximum dimension of each particle of the tobacco material may be at most about 200 μm. In some embodiments, the maximum dimension of each particle of the tobacco material is at most about 150 μm.

[0177] A population of tobacco material particles can have a particle size distribution (D90) of at least about 100 μm. In some embodiments, the population of tobacco material particles has a particle size distribution (D90) of about 110 μm, at least about 120 μm, at least about 130 μm, at least about 140 μm, or at least about 150 μm. In an embodiment, the population of tobacco material particles has a particle size distribution (D90) of about 150 μm. Sieving analysis may be used to determine the particle size distribution of the tobacco material particles.

[0178] A particle size distribution (D90) of at least about 100 μm is believed to contribute to the tensile strength of a sheet or shredded sheet of aerosolizable material.

[0179] A particle size distribution (D90) of less than 100 μm provides a sheet or shredded sheet of aerosolizable material having good tensile strength. However, including such fine particles of tobacco material in the sheet or shredded sheet can increase the density of the sheet or shredded sheet. When incorporated into an article for use in a non-combustible aerosol delivery system, this higher density can reduce the fill value of the tobacco material. It is advantageous to achieve a balance between sufficient tensile strength and an appropriate density (and thus fill value) when the particle size distribution (D90) is at least about 100 μm.

[0180] The particle size of the particulate tobacco material can also affect the coarseness of a sheet or shredded sheet of aerosol-forming material. It is hypothesized that forming a sheet or shredded sheet of aerosol-forming material by incorporating relatively large particles of tobacco material will reduce the density of the sheet or shredded sheet of aerosol-forming material.

[0181] The tobacco material can include tobacco obtained from any part of the tobacco plant. In some embodiments, the tobacco material includes tobacco leaves. The sheet or shredded sheet can include from 5 wt% to about 90 wt% tobacco leaves.

[0182] The tobacco material can include tobacco stems such as laminar tobacco and / or midrib stems. The laminar tobacco can be present in an amount of 0 wt% to about 100 wt%, about 20 wt% to about 100 wt%, about 40 wt% to about 100 wt%, about 40 wt% to about 95 wt%, about 45 wt% to about 90 wt%, about 50 wt% to about 85 wt%, or about 55 wt% to about 80 wt% of the sheet or shredded sheet and / or the tobacco material. In some embodiments, the tobacco material consists of or consists essentially of laminar tobacco material.

[0183] The tobacco material can include tobacco stems in an amount of 0 wt% to about 100 wt%, about 0 wt% to about 50 wt%, about 0 to about 25 wt%, about 0 to about 20 wt%, about 5 to about 1.5 wt% of the sheet or shredded sheet.

[0184] In some embodiments, the tobacco material includes a combination of laminar and tobacco stems. In some embodiments, the tobacco material can include laminar in an amount of about 40 wt% to about 95 wt% and stems in an amount of about 5 wt% to about 60 wt%, or laminar in an amount of about 60 wt% to about 95 wt% and stems in an amount of about 5 wt% to about 40 wt%, or laminar in an amount of about 80 wt% to about 95 wt% and stems in an amount of about 5 wt% to about 20 wt% of the sheet or shredded sheet of aerosolizable material.

[0185] Incorporating the stems can reduce the adhesiveness of the aerosolizable material. The inventors have also found that, unexpectedly, the burst strength of the aerosolizable material can be increased when a tobacco material containing stem tobacco is incorporated into the aerosolizable material.

[0186] The sheet or shredded sheet of aerosolizable material can have a burst strength of at least about 75 g, at least about 100 g, or at least about 200 g.

[0187] If the breaking strength is too low, the sheet or shredded sheet can be relatively brittle. As a result, the sheet or shredded sheet may break during the manufacturing process of the aerosolizable material. For example, when the sheet is shredded by a cutting process to form a shredded sheet, the sheet may break into sections or fragments during cutting.

[0188] The tobacco material described herein contains nicotine. The nicotine content is 0.1 to 3% by weight of the tobacco material, and for example, it may be 0.5 to 2.5% by weight of the tobacco material. Additionally or alternatively, the tobacco material contains 10% to 90% by weight of tobacco leaves having a nicotine content of more than about 1% by weight or more than about 1.5% by weight of the tobacco leaves. Tobacco leaves, such as cut-rag tobacco, have a nicotine content of, for example, 1% to 5% by weight of the tobacco leaves.

[0189] The sheet or shredded sheet of the aerosolizable material can contain nicotine in an amount of about 0.1% to about 3% by weight of the sheet or shredded sheet.

[0190] Recycled paper tobacco may be present in the aerosol generating material described herein. Recycled paper tobacco refers to a tobacco material formed by a process in which tobacco raw materials are extracted using a solvent to obtain a residue containing an extract of soluble substances and fibrous material, and then (usually after concentration and optionally after further treatment), the extract is redeposited on the fibrous material (usually after purification of the fibrous material and optionally adding a portion of non-tobacco fibers) and remixed with the fibrous material from the residue. The remixing process is similar to the papermaking process.

[0191] The recycled tobacco paper may be any type of recycled tobacco paper known in the art. In certain embodiments, the recycled tobacco paper is made from a raw material comprising one or more of tobacco shreds, tobacco stems, and whole leaf tobacco. In further embodiments, the recycled tobacco paper is made from a raw material composed of tobacco shreds and / or whole leaf tobacco and tobacco stems. However, in other embodiments, shreds, fine powder, and husks may be used in place of or in addition to the raw material.

[0192] The recycled tobacco paper for use in the tobacco materials described herein may be prepared by methods known to those of ordinary skill in the art for preparing recycled tobacco paper.

[0193] In embodiments, the recycled tobacco paper is present in an amount of 5 wt% to 90 wt%, 10 wt% to 80 wt%, or 20 wt% to 70 wt% of the aerosol-forming material.

[0194] The aerosol-forming material includes an aerosol-forming component. The aerosol-forming component includes one or more components capable of forming an aerosol. The aerosol-forming component includes one or more of glycerin, glycerol, propylene glycol, diethylene glycol, triethylene glycol, tetraethylene glycol, 1,3-butylene glycol, erythritol, meso-erythritol, ethyl vanillate, ethyl laurate, diethyl suberate, triethyl citrate, triacetin, diacetin mixture, benzyl benzoate, benzyl phenylacetate, tributyrin, lauryl acetate, lauric acid, myristic acid, and propylene carbonate. Preferably, the aerosol-forming component is glycerol or propylene glycol.

[0195] The sheet or shredded sheet of aerosolizable material contains an aerosol-forming material. The aerosol-forming material is provided in an amount of up to about 50 wt% of the sheet or shredded sheet on a dry weight basis. In some embodiments, the aerosol-forming material is from about 5 wt% to about 40 wt%, from about 10 wt% to about 30 wt%, or from about 10 wt% to about 20 wt% of the sheet or shredded sheet on a dry weight basis.

[0196] The sheet or shredded sheet can also contain water. The sheet or shredded sheet of aerosolizable material can contain water in an amount of less than about 15 wt%, less than about 10 wt%, or less than about 5 wt% of the aerosolizable material. In some embodiments, the aerosolizable material contains water in an amount from about 0 wt% to about 15 wt% or from about 5 wt% to about 15 wt% of the aerosolizable material.

[0197] The sheet or shredded sheet of aerosolizable material can contain water and the aerosol-forming material in a total amount of less than about 30 wt% or less than about 25 wt% of the sheet or shredded sheet of aerosolizable material. Incorporating water and the aerosol-forming material into the sheet or shredded sheet of aerosolizable material in an amount of less than about 30 wt% of the sheet or shredded sheet of aerosolizable material can reduce the adhesiveness of the sheet and is considered advantageous. This can improve the ease with which the aerosolizable material can be handled during processing. For example, it may be easier to roll up a sheet of aerosolizable material to form a bobbin of material and then unwind the bobbin without the layers of the sheet sticking to each other. Reducing the adhesiveness also reduces the tendency for strands or pieces of shredded material to agglomerate or stick to each other, further improving processing efficiency and the quality of the final product.

[0198] The sheet or shredded sheet contains a binder. The binder is arranged to bind the components of the aerosol-forming material to form the sheet or shredded sheet. The binder can at least partially cover the surface of the tobacco material. When the tobacco material is particulate, the binder can at least partially cover the surface of the tobacco particles to bind the particles to each other.

[0199] The binder can be selected from one or more compounds selected from the group consisting of alginates, pectins, starches (and derivatives), celluloses (and derivatives), gums, silica or silicone compounds, clays, polyvinyl alcohol, and combinations thereof. For example, in some embodiments, the binder includes one or more of alginate, pectin, hydroxyethyl cellulose, hydroxypropyl cellulose, carboxymethyl cellulose, pullulan, xanthan gum, guar gum, carrageenan, agarose, gum arabic, fumed silica, PDMS, sodium silicate, kaolin, and polyvinyl alcohol. In some cases, the binder includes alginate and / or pectin or carrageenan. In a preferred embodiment, the binder includes guar gum.

[0200] The binder can be present in an amount of about 1 to about 20% by weight of the sheet or shredded sheet, or 1 to about 10% by weight of the aerosolizable material in the sheet or shredded sheet. For example, the binder can be present in an amount of about 1%, 2%, 3%, 4%, 5%, 6%, 7%, 8%, 9%, or 10% by weight of the aerosolizable material in the sheet or shredded sheet.

[0201] The aerosol-generating material can include a filler. In some embodiments, the sheet or shredded sheet includes a filler. The filler is typically a non-tobacco component, i.e., a component that does not include raw materials derived from tobacco. The filler can 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 can be non-tobacco fibers such as wood fibers or wood pulp or wheat fibers. The filler can be a material containing cellulose or a material containing a derivative of cellulose. The filler component can be a non-tobacco cast material or a non-tobacco extruded material.

[0202] In certain embodiments that include a filler, the filler is fibrous. For example, the filler can be a fibrous organic filler material such as wood, wood pulp, hemp fiber, cellulose, or a cellulose derivative. Without wishing to be bound by theory, it is believed that including a fibrous filler can increase the tensile strength of the material.

[0203] The filler can also contribute to the texture of the sheet or shredded sheet of aerosolizable material. For example, a fibrous filler such as wood or wood pulp can provide a sheet or shredded sheet of aerosolizable material having a relatively rough first and second surface. Conversely, a non-fibrous particulate filler such as powdered chalk can provide a sheet or shredded sheet of aerosolizable material having a relatively smooth first and second surface. In some embodiments, the aerosolizable material includes a combination of different filler materials.

[0204] The filler component can be present in an amount of 0 to 20% by weight of the sheet or shredded sheet, or in an amount of 1 to 10% by weight of the sheet or shredded sheet. In some embodiments, the filler component is absent.

[0205] The filler can help improve general structural properties such as the tensile strength and burst strength of the aerosolizable material.

[0206] In the compositions described herein, when amounts are expressed as % by weight, unless otherwise specified to the contrary, this refers to a dry weight basis. Thus, any water that may be present in the aerosol-forming material, or any of its components, is completely disregarded for the purpose of determining % by weight. The water content of the aerosol-forming material described herein may vary, for example, it may be from 5 to 15% by weight. The water content of the aerosol-forming material described herein may vary, for example, depending on the temperature, pressure, and humidity conditions under which the composition is maintained. The water content can be determined by Karl-Fischer analysis, as is known to those skilled in the art. On the other hand, to avoid misunderstanding, any component other than water, even if the aerosol-forming material is a liquid phase component such as glycerol or propylene glycol, is included in the weight of the aerosol-forming material. However, when the aerosol-forming material is supplied to the tobacco component of the aerosol-forming material, or the filler component (if present) of the aerosol-forming material, instead of or in addition to being separately added to the aerosol-forming material, the aerosol-forming material is included in the weight of the "aerosol-forming material" at the % by weight as defined herein, and not in the weight of the tobacco component or the filler component. Any other raw materials present in the tobacco component are included in the weight of the tobacco component, whether non-tobacco-derived (e.g., non-tobacco fibers in the case of recycled paper tobacco).

[0207] The aerosol-forming material of the present specification can include an aerosol modifier such as any of the fragrances described in the present specification. In one embodiment, the aerosol-forming material includes menthol. When the aerosol-forming material is incorporated into an article for use in an aerosol supply system, the article can be referred to as an article containing menthol. The aerosol-forming material can contain 0.5 mg to 20 mg of menthol, 0.7 mg to 20 mg of menthol, 1 mg to 18 mg or 8 mg to 16 mg of menthol. In this example, the aerosol-forming material contains 16 mg of menthol. The aerosol-forming material can contain 1 wt% to 8 wt% of menthol, preferably 3 wt% to 7 wt% of menthol, more preferably 4 wt% to 5.5 wt% of menthol. In one embodiment, the aerosol-forming material contains 4.7 wt% of menthol. Such a high level of menthol loading can be achieved using a high percentage, for example, more than 50 wt% of recycled tobacco material of the tobacco material. Alternatively or in addition, for example, using a large amount of tobacco material can increase the level of menthol loading that can be achieved, for example, more than about 500 mm 3 exceed, or preferably more than about 1000 mm 3 of aerosol-forming material such as tobacco material is used.

[0208] In some embodiments, the composition includes an aerosol-forming "amorphous solid", which can also be referred to as a "monolithic solid" (i.e., non-fibrous). In some embodiments, the amorphous solid can include a dry gel. The amorphous solid is a solid material that can hold some fluid such as a liquid inside.

[0209] In some examples, the amorphous solid is 1 to 60 wt% of a gelling agent, 0.1 to 50 wt% of an aerosol-forming material, 0.1 to 80 wt% of a fragrance, and these weights are calculated on a dry weight basis.

[0210] In some further embodiments, the amorphous solid is 1 to 50 wt% of a gelling agent, and 0.1 to 50 wt% of an aerosol-forming material, and 30 to 60 wt% of a fragrance, and these weights are calculated on a dry weight basis. These weights are calculated on a dry weight basis.

[0211] The amorphous solid material may be provided in the form of a sheet or shredded sheet. The amorphous solid material may take the same form as the sheet or shredded sheet of the aerosolizable material, as described above.

[0212] It is preferred that the amorphous solid can contain about 1 wt%, 5 wt%, 10 wt%, 15 wt%, 20 wt%, or 25 wt% to about 60 wt%, 50 wt%, 45 wt%, 40 wt%, or 35 wt% of the gelling agent (all calculated on a dry weight basis). For example, the amorphous solid can contain 1 to 50 wt%, 5 to 45 wt%, 10 to 40 wt%, or 20 to 35 wt% of the gelling agent. In some embodiments, the gelling agent includes a hydrophilic colloid. In some embodiments, the gelling agent includes one or more compounds selected from the group consisting of alginates, pectins, starches (and derivatives), celluloses (and derivatives), gums, silica or silicone compounds, clays, polyvinyl alcohol, and combinations thereof. For example, in some embodiments, the gelling agent includes one or more of alginate, pectin, hydroxyethyl cellulose, hydroxypropyl cellulose, carboxymethyl cellulose, pullulan, xanthan gum, guar gum, carrageenan, agarose, gum arabic, fumed silica, PDMS, sodium silicate, kaolin, and polyvinyl alcohol. In some cases, the gelling agent may include alginate and / or pectin and may be mixed with a curing agent (such as a calcium source) during the formation of the amorphous solid. In some cases, the amorphous solid can contain calcium-crosslinked alginate and / or calcium-crosslinked pectin.

[0213] In some embodiments, the gelling agent comprises alginate, and the alginate is present in the amorphous solid in an amount of 10-30 wt% (calculated on a dry weight basis) of the amorphous solid. In some embodiments, the 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.

[0214] In some embodiments, the amorphous solid can comprise a gelling agent that includes carrageenan.

[0215] Preferably, the amorphous solid can contain from about 0.1 wt%, 0.5 wt%, 1 wt%, 3 wt%, 5 wt%, 7 wt%, or 10% to about 50 wt%, 45 wt%, 40 wt%, 35 wt%, 30 wt%, or 25 wt% of an aerosol-forming material (all calculated on a dry weight basis). The aerosol-forming material can act as a plasticizer. For example, the amorphous solid can contain from 0.5 to 40 wt%, from 3 to 35 wt%, or from 10 to 25 wt% of an aerosol-forming material. In some cases, the aerosol-forming material can include one or more compounds selected from erythritol, propylene glycol, glycerol, triacetin, sorbitol, and xylitol. In some cases, the aerosol-forming material contains glycerol, consists essentially of glycerol, or consists of glycerol.

[0216] The amorphous solid contains a fragrance. Preferably, the amorphous solid can contain up to about 80 wt%, 70 wt%, 60 wt%, 55 wt%, 50 wt%, or 45 wt% of the fragrance.

[0217] In some cases, the amorphous solid can contain at least about 0.1 wt%, 1 wt%, 10 wt%, 20 wt%, 30 wt%, 35 wt%, or 40 wt% of the fragrance (all calculated on a dry weight basis).

[0218] For example, the amorphous solid can contain 1 to 80 wt%, 10 to 80 wt%, 20 to 70 wt%, 30 to 60 wt%, 35 to 55 wt%, or 30 to 45 wt% of the fragrance. In some cases, the fragrance can contain menthol, consist essentially of menthol, or consist of menthol.

[0219] In some cases, the amorphous solid can further contain an emulsifier that emulsifies the molten fragrance during production. For example, the amorphous solid can contain about 5 wt% to about 15 wt%, preferably about 10 wt% (calculated on a dry weight basis) of the emulsifier. The emulsifier can contain gum arabic.

[0220] In some embodiments, the amorphous solid is a hydrogel and contains less than about 20 wt% water calculated on a wet weight basis. In some cases, the hydrogel can contain less than about 15 wt%, 12 wt%, or 10 wt% water calculated on a wet weight basis. In some cases, the hydrogel can contain at least about 1 wt%, 2 wt%, or at least about 5 wt% water (on a wet weight basis).

[0221] In some embodiments, the amorphous solid further comprises an active substance. For example, in some cases, the amorphous solid further comprises a tobacco material and / or nicotine. In some cases, the amorphous solid can comprise 5 to 60 wt% (calculated on a dry weight basis) of the tobacco material and / or nicotine. In some cases, the amorphous solid can comprise from about 1 wt%, 5 wt%, 10 wt%, 15 wt%, 20 wt%, or 25 wt% to about 70 wt%, 60 wt%, 50 wt%, 45 wt%, 40 wt%, 35 wt%, or 30 wt% (calculated on a dry weight basis) of the active substance. In some cases, the amorphous solid can comprise from about 1 wt%, 5 wt%, 10 wt%, 15 wt%, 20 wt%, or 25 wt% to about 70 wt%, 60 wt%, 50 wt%, 45 wt%, 40 wt%, 35 wt%, or 30 wt% (calculated on a dry weight basis) of the tobacco material. For example, the amorphous solid can comprise 10 to 50 wt%, 15 to 40 wt%, or 20 to 35 wt% of the tobacco material. In some cases, the amorphous solid can comprise from about 1 wt%, 2 wt%, 3 wt%, or 4 wt% to about 20 wt%, 18 wt%, 15 wt%, or 12 wt% (calculated on a dry weight basis) of nicotine. For example, the amorphous solid can comprise 1 to 20 wt%, 2 to 18 wt%, or 3 to 12 wt% of nicotine.

[0222] In some cases, the amorphous solid comprises an active substance such as a tobacco extract. In some cases, the amorphous solid can comprise 5 to 60 wt% (calculated on a dry weight basis) of the tobacco extract. In some cases, the amorphous solid can comprise from about 5 wt%, 10 wt%, 15 wt%, 20 wt%, or 25 wt% to about 60 wt%, 50 wt%, 45 wt%, 40 wt%, 35 wt%, or 30 wt% (calculated on a dry weight basis) of the tobacco extract. For example, the amorphous solid can comprise 10 to 50 wt%, 15 to 40 wt%, or 20 to 35 wt% of the tobacco extract. The tobacco extract can contain nicotine at a concentration such that the amorphous solid contains from 1 wt%, 1.5 wt%, 2 wt%, or 2.5 wt% to about 6 wt%, 5 wt%, 4.5 wt%, or 4 wt% (calculated on a dry weight basis) of nicotine.

[0223] In some cases, nicotine other than that obtained from tobacco extracts may not be present in the amorphous solid.

[0224] In some embodiments, the amorphous solid does not contain tobacco material but contains nicotine. In some such cases, the amorphous solid can contain from about 1 wt%, 2 wt%, 3 wt%, or 4 wt% to about 20 wt%, 18 wt%, 15 wt%, or 12 wt% (calculated on a dry weight basis) of nicotine. For example, the amorphous solid can contain from 1 to 20 wt%, 2 to 18 wt%, or 3 to 12 wt% of nicotine.

[0225] In some cases, the total content of the active substance and / or fragrance may be at least about 0.1 wt%, 1 wt%, 5 wt%, 10 wt%, 20 wt%, 25 wt%, or 30 wt%. In some cases, the total content of the active substance and / or fragrance may be less than about 90 wt%, 80 wt%, 70 wt%, 60 wt%, 50 wt%, or 40 wt% (all calculated on a dry weight basis).

[0226] In some cases, the total content of the tobacco material, nicotine, and fragrance may be at least about 0.1 wt%, 1 wt%, 5 wt%, 10 wt%, 20 wt%, 25 wt%, or 30 wt%. In some cases, the total content of the active substance and / or fragrance may be less than about 90 wt%, 80 wt%, 70 wt%, 60 wt%, 50 wt%, or 40 wt% (all calculated on a dry weight basis).

[0227] The amorphous solid may be made from a gel, and this gel can further contain a solvent contained at 0.1 to 50 wt%. However, the inventors have confirmed that including a solvent in which the fragrance dissolves may reduce the stability of the gel and that the fragrance may crystallize from the gel. Thus, in some cases, the gel does not contain a solvent in which the fragrance dissolves.

[0228] In some embodiments, the amorphous solid contains less than 60 wt%, for example, 1 wt% to 60 wt%, or 5 wt% to 50 wt%, or 5 wt% to 30 wt%, or 10 wt% to 20 wt% filler.

[0229] In other embodiments, the amorphous solid contains less than 20 wt%, preferably less than 10 wt%, or less than 5 wt% filler. In some cases, the amorphous solid contains less than 1 wt% filler, and in some cases, it contains no filler.

[0230] When the filler is present, the filler can 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 can include one or more organic filler materials, such as wood pulp, cellulose, and cellulose derivatives. In certain cases, the amorphous solid does not contain calcium carbonate such as chalk.

[0231] In certain embodiments containing 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 cellulose derivatives. Without wishing to be bound by theory, it is believed that including a fibrous filler in the amorphous solid can increase the tensile strength of the material.

[0232] In some embodiments, the amorphous solid does not contain tobacco fiber.

[0233] In some examples, the amorphous solid in the form of a sheet can have a tensile strength of about 200 N / m to about 1500 N / m. In some examples where the amorphous solid does not contain a filler, the amorphous solid can 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 strength can be particularly suitable for embodiments where the amorphous solid material is shredded after being formed into a sheet and incorporated into an aerosol generating article.

[0234] In some examples where the amorphous solid contains a filler, the amorphous solid can have a tensile strength of 600 N / m to 1500 N / m, or 700 N / m to 900 N / m, or about 800 N / m. Such tensile strength may be particularly suitable for embodiments where the amorphous solid material is included in an aerosol-generating article as a wound sheet, preferably in the form of a tube.

[0235] In some cases, the amorphous solid may consist essentially of, or consist of, a gelling agent, water, an aerosol-forming material, a flavor, and optionally an active substance.

[0236] In some cases, the amorphous solid may consist essentially of, or consist of, a gelling agent, water, an aerosol-forming material, a flavor, and optionally a tobacco material and / or a nicotine source.

[0237] The amorphous solid can include one or more active substances and / or flavors, one or more aerosol-forming materials, and optionally one or more other functional materials.

[0238] The aerosol-generating material can include a paper-recycled tobacco material. The composition can alternatively or additionally include any of the tobacco forms described herein. The aerosol-generating material can comprise a sheet or shredded sheet containing a tobacco material that includes 10 wt% to 90 wt% of tobacco leaves, the aerosol-forming material is provided in an amount of up to about 20 wt% of the sheet or shredded sheet, and the remaining portion of the tobacco material includes paper-recycled tobacco.

[0239] When the aerosol-generating material includes an amorphous solid material, the amorphous solid material may be a dry gel containing menthol. In an alternative embodiment, the amorphous solid can have any of the compositions described herein.

[0240] The inventors have found it advantageous that an aerosol-generating material comprising a first component including a sheet or shredded sheet of aerosolizable material and a second component including an amorphous solid can be used to produce improved articles, where the material properties (such as density) and specifications (such as thickness, length, and cut width) are within the ranges described herein.

[0241] In some cases, the amorphous solid can have a thickness of from about 0.015 mm to about 1.0 mm. Preferably, the thickness can range from about 0.05 mm, 0.1 mm, or 0.15 mm to about 0.5 mm or 0.3 mm. A material having a thickness of about 0.09 can be used. The amorphous solid can include two or more layers, and the thickness described herein refers to the total thickness of these layers.

[0242] The thickness of the amorphous solid material can be measured using a caliper or a microscope such as a scanning electron microscope (SEM) as known to those skilled in the art, or any other suitable technique known to those skilled in the art.

[0243] The inventors have confirmed that if the amorphous solid is too thick, the heating efficiency can decrease. This can have an adverse effect on the power consumption during use, for example, the power consumption for releasing fragrance from the amorphous solid. Conversely, if the amorphous solid for aerosol formation is too thin, manufacturing and handling can become difficult. A very thin material is more difficult to cast, is fragile, and may interfere with aerosol formation during use. In some cases, individual pieces or sections of the amorphous solid have a minimum thickness of about 0.015 over their area. In some cases, individual pieces or sections of the amorphous solid have a minimum thickness of about 0.05 mm or about 0.1 mm over their area. In some cases, individual pieces or sections of the amorphous solid have a maximum thickness of about 1.0 mm over their area. In some cases, individual pieces or sections of the amorphous solid have a maximum thickness of about 0.5 mm or about 0.3 mm over their area.

[0244] In some cases, the thickness of the amorphous solid can vary by 25%, 20%, 15%, 10%, 5%, or 1% or less across its area.

[0245] By providing sheets or shredded sheets of amorphous solid materials and aerosolizable materials having different areal density values below a given percentage, mixtures of these materials are made more difficult to separate. In some examples, the areal density of the amorphous solid material may be 50% to 150% of the areal density of the aerosolizable material. For example, the areal density of the amorphous solid material may be 60% to 140% of the areal density of the aerosolizable material, or 70% to 110% of the areal density of the aerosolizable material, or 80% to 120% of the areal density of the aerosolizable material.

[0246] In embodiments described herein, the amorphous solid material can be incorporated into an article in the form of a sheet. The amorphous solid material in sheet form can be shredded and then incorporated into an article, and it is preferred that it can be mixed with an aerosolizable material such as a sheet or shredded sheet of the aerosolizable material described herein.

[0247] In further embodiments, the sheet of amorphous solid can be further incorporated as a flat sheet, as a collected or bundled sheet, as a pressure-bonded sheet, or as a wound sheet (i.e., in the form of a tube). In some such cases, the amorphous solid of these embodiments may be included in an aerosol-generating article as a sheet such as a sheet surrounding a rod containing an aerosolizable material. For example, the sheet of amorphous solid may be formed on a wrapper surrounding an aerosolizable material such as tobacco.

[0248] The amorphous solid in sheet form can have any suitable areal density such as from about 30 g / m 2 to about 150 g / m 2 In some cases, the sheet can be from about 55 g / m 2 to about 135 g / m 2 or from about 80 to about 120 g / m 2 or from about 70 to about 110 g / m2 or particularly about 90 to about 110 g / m 2 or preferably about 100 g / m 2 can have a basis weight. These ranges can provide a density similar to that of cut rag tobacco, and as a result, can provide a mixture of these substances that is difficult to separate. Such a basis weight can be particularly suitable when the amorphous solid material is included in the aerosol-generating article as a shredded sheet (further described below). In some cases, the sheet can have a basis weight of about 30 to 70 g / m 2 40 to 60 g / m 2 or 25 to 60 g / m 2 can have a basis weight, and this sheet can be used to wrap an aerosolizable material such as the aerosolizable material described herein.

[0249] The aerosol-generating material can include a mixture of the aerosolizable material described herein and an amorphous solid material. Such an aerosol-generating material can introduce an additional flavor into the aerosol-generating material by including the additional flavor in the amorphous solid material component, and thus can provide a desirable flavor profile in the aerosol during use. The flavor provided in the amorphous solid material can be retained more stably within the amorphous solid material compared to a flavor directly added to the tobacco material, and thus a more consistent flavor profile can be obtained among the articles manufactured according to the present disclosure.

[0250] As described above, it has been found that a tobacco material having a density of at least 350 mg / cc to less than about 900 mg / cc, preferably about 600 mg / cc to about 900 mg / cc, leads to a more sustained aerosol release and is advantageous. In order to provide an aerosol having a consistent flavor profile, the amorphous solid material component of the aerosol-generating material should be uniformly dispersed throughout the rod. The inventors have found it advantageous to cast the amorphous solid material so as to provide an amorphous solid material having the thickness described herein and a surface density similar to that of the tobacco material, and to process the amorphous solid material as described below to ensure a uniform dispersion throughout the aerosol-generating material.

[0251] As described above, optionally, the aerosol-generating material comprises a plurality of shreds of amorphous solid material. Where the aerosol-generating portion comprises a plurality of strands and / or shreds of a sheet of aerosolizable material and a plurality of shreds of amorphous solid material, the material properties and / or dimensions of these at least two components are appropriately selected in such a way that a relatively uniform mixing of the components is possible and that separation or unmixing of the components during or after manufacture of the rod of aerosol-generating material is reduced.

[0252] The longitudinal dimension of the plurality of strands or shreds may be substantially the same as the length of the aerosol-generating portion. The plurality of strands and / or shreds can have a length of at least about 5 mm.

[0253] Figures 2a to 2f show possible configurations of susceptors that can be incorporated into the aerosol-generating material of Figure 1. However, it should be understood that the susceptor can have any suitable configuration.

[0254] In some embodiments, the susceptor may be a mesh body. For example, FIGS. 2a, 2b, and 2e show susceptors formed from a mesh material. The mesh susceptor provides a large surface area for heating while using a relatively small amount of susceptor material. Further, when the surface area of the mesh is large, degradation occurs more rapidly after consumption of the article than for a susceptor having a small surface area. In particular, when combined with a rod of aerosol-forming material 3 containing a degradation promoter such as salt, the large surface area of the susceptor is exposed to the degradation promoter and can degrade even more rapidly after consumption of the article.

[0255] FIG. 2a shows a susceptor 14a formed from a mesh sheet. The mesh sheet can include a uniform or non-uniform pattern. The dimensions of the mesh can be changed to vary the total amount of susceptor material used to form the susceptor. For example, the distance between the strands of the mesh material can be increased or decreased, and accordingly, the amount of susceptor material used can be increased or decreased. A susceptor having a uniform mesh pattern can produce a uniform heat profile (e.g., temperature) across the susceptor. In other embodiments, a susceptor having a non-uniform pattern may be used. For example, regions that may require a high heat level can be formed with a high density of mesh. That is, the dimensions of the mesh can be smaller such that there is a large amount of susceptor material in a small area and thus has a larger surface area for heating for a given volume. Regions that do not require high inductive heating can be formed from a low density of mesh so that less current is generated and less heat is generated in these regions. The rod of aerosol-forming material 3 can include one or more mesh sheets or mesh strands disposed within the rod. When the mesh sheet or strands extend throughout the volume of the rod of aerosol-forming material 3, the rod of aerosol-forming material 3 can be heated more uniformly compared to a rod having a single central susceptor. The mesh can be coated with an aerosol-forming material / aerosol-modifying material, for example, by dip coating, spray coating, or powder coating.

[0256] The mesh sheet can be formed into a shape suitable for insertion into the aerosol - generating material 3. For example, the mesh sheet can be rolled up to form a hollow tube such as the susceptor 14b in the example of FIG. 2b. However, it should be understood that the mesh sheet can be formed into one or more any suitable shape that can be inserted into or incorporated into the aerosol - generating material 3.

[0257] In other examples, the susceptor 14 can be provided as one or more susceptor elements. In particular, the susceptor 14 can include one or more susceptor elements joined to each other by a joining material. In the example shown in FIG. 2c, the susceptor 14c is formed from a chain of a plurality of elements 17 connected by a joining material 18 in the form of a thread or sheet. Alternatively, the joining material can include a flat sheet. In some embodiments, the chain of elements 17 is formed using a continuous flow of susceptor material. That is, the joining material 18 is the same as the susceptor material. In these embodiments, the susceptor elements 17 are made as a plurality of joined elements from a continuous susceptor material rather than a plurality of separate discrete elements. The joining material 18 can have a small cross - sectional area or be a fragile region compared to the elements of the susceptor material.

[0258] After the susceptor elements 17 are joined to each other by the joining material, the joined susceptor elements 17 can be coated with a coating material. In other examples, the joining material 18 itself can be formed from a coating material. That is, the susceptor elements can be connected by a coating material. For example, the susceptor elements can be joined to each other by applying a coating material. Thus, since the manufacture of the joined susceptor elements and the coating of the susceptor can be performed in the same operation, the number of steps required for manufacturing the coated susceptor is reduced.

[0259] However, it should be understood that the susceptor element 17 can be connected by any suitable bonding material. For example, the bonding material 18 can be a material that is more brittle than the susceptor material. For example, the bonding material can be a material that is less dense than the susceptor material. Such materials can include, for example, cotton or other types of fibers. Thus, for example, a chain of susceptor elements can be easily cut to any desired length by a plurality of weak portions that join the susceptor elements (e.g., along line 19 in FIG. 2d). The size of the element (e.g., diameter, length, width, etc.) can be large compared to the diameter of the bonding material that joins the elements. The bonding material 18 can further include a flavorant. For example, the bonding material can be a scented thread.

[0260] In the example of FIG. 2c, the susceptor element is substantially spherical. However, alternatively / additionally, other shapes such as the elliptical shape of susceptors 14d - 14f shown in FIGS. 2d - 2f can be used. It should be understood that any suitable shape can be used. The shape of the susceptor element 17 can be selected, for example, to achieve a desired surface area. The susceptor element 17 can be formed from a flat sheet (or mesh sheet) of susceptor material that is bent into a desired shape, such as a sphere. In this case, the susceptor element 17 is hollow. However, in other examples, the susceptor element 17 can be a solid volume. It should be understood that a chain of susceptor elements can include a set of uniform elements 17. Alternatively, the chain can be formed of a set of non-uniform elements. For example, combinations of elements 17 of different shapes can be joined to each other.

[0261] When the susceptor is formed from a chain of elements 1, the chain of elements can be dipped into a coating material bath to coat the susceptor. Thus, a large number of susceptor elements can be efficiently coated. In some other embodiments, individual susceptor elements 17 can be placed into a film material for coating, in which case the film itself joins the susceptor elements 17.

[0262] To form the rod of the aerosol-forming material 3, one or more chains of the susceptor elements 17 described above can be supplied to the feed path of the aerosol-forming material. Thus, during manufacture, the susceptor can be inserted into the rod of the aerosol-forming material 3.

[0263] In the example shown in FIG. 2f, the susceptor element 17 is incorporated into the shreds of the aerosol-forming material forming the tobacco rod so that the shreds of the aerosol-forming material form the joining material 18. When the rod of the aerosol-forming material 3 contains tobacco, the susceptor element can be incorporated into the tobacco via a band-casting process. Thereafter, the band-cast tobacco in which the susceptor element 17 is embedded can be formed into the rod of the aerosol-forming material 3. In such an example, the susceptor 14f can be embedded in the tobacco before the formation of the rod and be reliably held in place by the tobacco. It should be understood that when using the band-casting process, the size of the susceptor element 17 may be limited by the width of the band-cast tobacco. For example, the widths of the band-cast tobacco and the susceptor element may be about 200-300 μm.

[0264] Alternatively, the susceptor element can be held in the shreds of the amorphous solid or the tobacco extrudate.

[0265] FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing the steps of a method of manufacturing a susceptor such as the susceptor of FIG. 1 and an article comprising the susceptor. In step S1, the method includes the step of applying a coating to the outer surface of the susceptor. In particular, the method includes the step of applying a coating to the susceptor such that the coating covers at least 20% of the outer surface of the susceptor.

[0266] The coating material may be any suitable coating material in the case of the methods described below. In some examples according to the method of FIG. 3, the coating is an amorphous solid. In such examples, the amorphous solid coating is formed by mixing a binder such as a gelling agent with a solvent such as water and an aerosol former. Additionally, one or more further components such as an active substance can be mixed with the solvent and the binder to form a slurry. After application to the susceptor, the slurry can be heated to volatilize at least a portion of the solvent and form an amorphous solid.

[0267] The coating can be applied to the susceptor using any suitable method. For example, the susceptor can be coated by immersing it in a film of the coating material during a film-forming process. The film-forming process may be a thin-film forming process.

[0268] For example, the susceptor can be immersed in a gel or solution such as a coating material bath and then dried to leave a thin film containing the aerosol generating material / modifying material. The immersion and drying processes can be repeated until an appropriate film thickness is obtained.

[0269] In other examples, the susceptor can be spray-coated or powder-coated using the coating material. In other examples, one or more susceptors can also be drop-coated in a row or by extrusion.

[0270] In still other examples, the susceptor can be dry-coated.

[0271] After application of the coating by any of the above methods, the coating layer dries on the surface of the susceptor. In some examples, the coating can be dried by heating the susceptor via induction heating. Thus, it is convenient that the coating can be dried via induction heating of the susceptor. Induction heating of the susceptor after application of the coating material can dry the coating material more rapidly than an air-drying process. Alternatively, infrared drying techniques or convective drying techniques can be used to dry the coating.

[0272] In particular, the drying process can include removing water or other solvents from the coating material, for example, through evaporation by heating.

[0273] In step S2, the method includes inserting the susceptor into a rod of aerosol-generating material / aerosol-modifying material. In some cases, such as when the susceptor is coated with an aerosol-generating material as part of a tobacco band casting process, performing steps S1 and S2 simultaneously reduces the need for separate manufacturing steps.

[0274] In step S3, the method includes joining a rod of aerosol-generating material containing the coated susceptor to a mouthpiece to form an article for use with an aerosol delivery system.

[0275] In FIG. 4, the components of an embodiment of a non-combustible aerosol supply device 100 are briefly shown. In particular, in FIG. 4, the elements of the non-combustible aerosol supply device 100 are not drawn to scale. To simplify FIG. 4, elements not relevant to the understanding of this embodiment are omitted.

[0276] As shown in FIG. 4, the non-combustible aerosol supply device 100 is a non-combustible aerosol supply device having a housing 101 with a region 102 for receiving an article 1.

[0277] Region 102 is arranged to receive article 1. An induction transmitter 103 is arranged to inductively heat the susceptor when article 1 is received in region 102. Broadly speaking, device 100 can be used to heat a replaceable article comprising an aerosol-forming substrate and a coated susceptor embedded therein, such as article 1 comprising susceptor 14 described herein, and the aerosol-forming substrate releases various volatile compounds at different temperatures. By controlling the maximum operating temperature of the electrically heated aerosol-generating system 100, selective release of undesirable compounds can be controlled by preventing the release of selected volatile compounds.

[0278] As shown in FIG. 5, within housing 101 there is an electrical energy source 104, such as a rechargeable lithium-ion battery. A controller 105 is connected to induction transmitter 103, electrical energy source 104, and user interface 106, such as a button or display. Controller 105 controls the power supplied to heater 103 in order to adjust the temperature of heater 103. Typically, the aerosol-forming substrate is heated to a temperature between 250 and 450 degrees Celsius.

[0279] FIG. 6 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a non-combustible aerosol supply device of the type shown in FIG. 4, in which induction transmitter 103 inductively heats susceptor 14 incorporated in the aerosol-generating material 3 of article 1. The non-combustible aerosol supply device is shown in an engaged state with aerosol-generating article 1 for a user to consume the aerosol-generating article 1. Device 100 and replaceable article 1 together form a system.

[0280] The housing 101 of the non-combustible aerosol supply device defines a region 102 in the form of a cavity open at its proximal end (or mouth end) for receiving the aerosol-generating article 1 to be consumed. When the aerosol-generating article 1 is fully received within the cavity, the active heating region of the induction transmitter 103 is disposed within the aerosol-generating portion of the aerosol-generating article 1.

[0281] When the induction transmitter 103 is activated, the susceptor 14 is inductively heated and the coating of the susceptor is heated and aerosolized to supply the user with the first puff in a more efficient manner. Subsequently, the aerosol generating material 3 is heated and volatile substances are generated or released. When the user inhales through the mouthpiece 2, air is drawn into the article 1 and the volatile substances condense to form an inhalable aerosol. This aerosol enters the user's mouth through the mouthpiece 2 of the article 1.

[0282] The various embodiments described herein are presented merely to assist in the understanding and teaching of the claimed features. These embodiments are presented only as representative specific examples of the embodiments and are not inclusive and / or exclusive. The advantages, embodiments, examples, functions, features, structures, and / or other aspects described herein should not be considered as limiting the scope of the invention to that defined in the claims or to the equivalents of the claims, and it should be understood that other embodiments may be used and modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the claimed invention. The various embodiments of the present invention may preferably include, consist of, or consist essentially of a suitable combination of disclosed elements, components, features, parts, steps, means, etc. other than those specifically recited herein. In addition, the present disclosure may include other inventions that are not currently claimed but may be claimed in the future. The present disclosure includes the following embodiments. (Embodiment 1) A susceptor for insertion into an aerosol-generating material portion of an article, the susceptor having a coating on at least 20% of an outer surface of the susceptor, the coating including an aerosol-generating material and / or an aerosol-modifying material and having a thickness of 300 microns or less. (Embodiment 2) The susceptor according to Embodiment 1, wherein the coating is provided on at least 30%, at least 40%, at least 50%, at least 60%, at least 70%, at least 80%, at least 90%, at least 95%, or 100% of the outer surface of the susceptor. (Embodiment 3) The susceptor according to Embodiment 1 or 2, wherein the coating has a thickness of 20 microns to 300 microns, 50 microns to 200 microns, 75 microns to 125 microns, or about 100 microns. (Embodiment 4) The susceptor according to any one of Embodiments 1 to 3, wherein the coating includes an amorphous solid. (Embodiment 5) The susceptor according to any one of Embodiments 1 to 4, wherein the coating includes a flavorant. (Embodiment 6) The susceptor according to any one of Embodiments 1 to 5, wherein the coating includes glycerol. (Embodiment 7) The susceptor according to Embodiment 4, wherein the coating includes 20% to 45% by weight of glycerol. (Embodiment 8) The susceptor according to any one of Embodiments 1 to 7, wherein the coating is substantially free of water. (Embodiment 9) The susceptor according to any one of Embodiments 1 to 8, wherein the coating is configured to prevent ingress of oxygen and / or moisture from an external environment to the outer surface of the susceptor coated by the coating. (Embodiment 10) The susceptor according to any one of Embodiments 1 to 9, further including a susceptor material of ferritic stainless steel. (Embodiment 11) The susceptor according to any one of Embodiments 1 to 10, wherein the susceptor has a thickness of about 20 to 60 microns, 30 to 50 microns, or about 40 microns. (Embodiment 12) The susceptor according to any one of Embodiments 1 to 11, comprising a chain of a plurality of susceptor elements formed from a susceptor material, wherein the plurality of elements are joined by a joining material. (Embodiment 13) The susceptor according to Embodiment 12, wherein the joining material is the same material as the susceptor material. (Embodiment 14) The susceptor according to Embodiment 12, wherein the joining material includes a non-conductive material. (Embodiment 15) The susceptor according to Embodiment 14, wherein the non-conductive material is at least one of tobacco, cotton, or other fibers. (Embodiment 16) The susceptor according to any one of Embodiments 12 to 15, wherein the joining material between the plurality of susceptor elements includes a plurality of weak portions. (Embodiment 17) The susceptor according to any one of Embodiments 12 to 16, wherein the plurality of weak portions of the susceptor material have at least one of a smaller cross-sectional area and a lower mass than the plurality of susceptor elements. (Embodiment 18) The susceptor according to any one of Embodiments 12 to 17, wherein the plurality of elements of the chain of the plurality of elements are substantially spherical elements. (Embodiment 19) The susceptor according to any one of Embodiments 12 to 18, wherein the joining material is a flat sheet or thread. (Embodiment 20) The susceptor according to any one of Embodiments 1 to 19, comprising one or more mesh portions including a susceptor material. (Embodiment 21) A method of forming a susceptor for insertion into an aerosol-generating material portion of an article, the method including the step of applying a coating to the susceptor such that the coating covers at least 20% of the outer surface of the susceptor, wherein the coating has a thickness of 300 microns or less. (Embodiment 22) The step of applying the coating includes submerging the susceptor in a film of a coating material during a film-forming process, immersing the susceptor in a coating material bath, or spray-coating or powder-coating the susceptor, The method according to Embodiment 21. (Embodiment 23) The method according to Embodiment 21 or 22, further including the step of inductively heating the susceptor after application to dry the coating. (Embodiment 24) The method according to any one of Embodiments 21 to 23, wherein the coating includes an amorphous solid. (Embodiment 25) The method according to embodiment 21, wherein the step of coating the susceptor includes the step of incorporating one or more susceptor elements into shreds of aerosol - generating material during a band - casting process. (Embodiment 26) A susceptor prepared by the method according to any one of embodiments 21 - 25. (Embodiment 27) An article for use in an aerosol - generating system, a mouthpiece, an aerosol - generating part connected to the mouthpiece, the aerosol - generating part containing an aerosol - generating material, a susceptor according to any one of embodiments 1 - 20, and comprising an article. (Embodiment 28) The article according to embodiment 27, wherein the aerosol - generating material contains a degradation accelerator. (Embodiment 29) The article according to embodiment 28, wherein the degradation accelerator contains a salt. (Embodiment 30) The article according to any one of embodiments 27 - 29, wherein the mouthpiece further comprises at least one hollow tubular element provided downstream of the aerosol - generating material. (Embodiment 31) A method of manufacturing an article according to any one of embodiments 27 - 30, comprising the step of forming a rod of aerosol - generating material, and the step of joining a mouthpiece to the rod of aerosol - generating material. and comprising a method. (Embodiment 32) The method according to embodiment 31, further comprising the step of applying a coating to the susceptor, and the step of sending the coated susceptor to a rod of aerosol - generating material. and further comprising a method. (Embodiment 33) An article according to any one of embodiments 27 - 30, an aerosol - generating device comprising an induction transmitter for inductively heating the susceptor, and comprising an aerosol - generating system.

Claims

**Claim 1** A susceptor for insertion into an aerosol-generating material portion of an article, the susceptor having a coating on at least 20% of an outer surface thereof, the coating comprising an aerosol-generating material and / or an aerosol-modifying material, having a thickness of 300 microns or less, and the coating being an amorphous solid comprising 20 wt% to 45 wt% glycerol. **Claim 2** The susceptor according to claim 1, wherein the coating is provided on at least 30%, at least 40%, at least 50%, at least 60%, at least 70%, at least 80%, at least 90%, at least 95%, or 100% of the outer surface of the susceptor. **Claim 3** The susceptor according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the coating has a thickness of 20 microns to 300 microns, 50 microns to 200 microns, 75 microns to 125 microns, or 100 microns. **Claim 4** The susceptor according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the coating comprises a flavorant. **Claim 5** The susceptor according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the coating is substantially free of water. **Claim 6** The susceptor according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the coating is configured to prevent ingress of oxygen and / or moisture from an external environment to the outer surface of the susceptor coated by the coating. **Claim 7** The susceptor according to claim 1 or 2, further comprising a susceptor material of ferritic stainless steel. **Claim 8** The susceptor according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the susceptor has a thickness of 20 to 60 microns, 30 to 50 microns, or 40 microns. **Claim 9** The susceptor according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the susceptor comprises a chain of a plurality of susceptor elements formed from a susceptor material, the plurality of susceptor elements being joined by a joining material. **Claim 10** The susceptor according to claim 9, wherein the joining material is the same material as the susceptor material. **Claim 11** The susceptor according to claim 9, wherein the joining material comprises a non-conductive material. **Claim 12** The susceptor according to claim 11, wherein the non-conductive material is at least one of tobacco, cotton, or other fibers. **Claim 13** The susceptor according to claim 9, wherein the joining material between the plurality of susceptor elements comprises a plurality of weak portions. **Claim 14** The susceptor according to claim 13, wherein the plurality of vulnerable portions of the susceptor material have at least one of a cross-sectional area smaller than that of the plurality of susceptor elements and a lower mass.

15. The susceptor according to claim 9, wherein the plurality of susceptor elements of the chain of the plurality of susceptor elements are a plurality of substantially spherical elements.

16. The susceptor according to claim 9, wherein the bonding material is a flat sheet or thread.

17. The susceptor according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the susceptor comprises one or more mesh portions including a susceptor material.

18. A method of forming a susceptor for insertion into an aerosol-generating material portion of an article, the method comprising applying the coating to the susceptor such that the coating covers at least 20% of the outer surface of the susceptor, the coating having a thickness of 300 microns or less, and the coating being an amorphous solid comprising 20 wt% to 45 wt% glycerol.

19. The step of applying the coating comprises submerging the susceptor in a film of coating material during a film-forming process, immersing the susceptor in a coating material bath, or spray-coating or powder-coating the susceptor, The method according to claim 18, comprising.

20. The method according to claim 18, further comprising inductively heating the susceptor after application to dry the coating.

21. The step of coating the susceptor comprises incorporating one or more susceptor elements into strips of aerosol-generating material during a band-casting process. The method according to claim 18.

22. An article for use in an aerosol-generating system, comprising a mouthpiece, an aerosol-generating portion connected to the mouthpiece, the aerosol-generating portion comprising an aerosol-generating material, and the susceptor according to claim 1 or 2, An article comprising.

23. The article according to claim 22, wherein the aerosol-generating material comprises a degradation promoter.

24. The article according to claim 23, wherein the degradation promoter comprises a salt.

25. The article according to claim 22, wherein the mouthpiece further comprises at least one hollow tubular element provided downstream of the aerosol-generating material.

26. A method of manufacturing the article according to claim 22, comprising Forming a rod of the aerosol generating material; Joining a mouthpiece to the rod of the aerosol generating material; A method comprising: **Claim 27** Applying a coating to the susceptor; Feeding the coated susceptor to a rod of the aerosol generating material; The method according to claim 26, further comprising: **Claim 28** An article according to claim 22; An aerosol generating device comprising an induction transmitter for inductively heating a susceptor; An aerosol generating system comprising:

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