New aerosol-generating substrate

Abstract

The aerosol-generating article (1000), (4000a, 4000b), or (5000) comprises an aerosol-generating substrate (1020) formed from homogenized plant material containing, on a dry weight basis, 1 weight percent to 65 weight percent non-tobacco plant particles, on a dry weight basis, 15 weight percent to 55 weight percent aerosol former, on a dry weight basis, 2 weight percent to 10 weight percent cellulose ether, and on a dry weight basis, 5 weight percent to 50 weight percent additional cellulose. The additional cellulose is not derived from non-tobacco plant particles. The ratio of the additional cellulose to the cellulose ether in the homogenized plant material is at least 2.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to aerosol-generating substrates comprising homogenized plant material formed from non-tobacco plant particles, and to aerosol-generating articles incorporating such aerosol-generating substrates. [Background technology]

[0002] Aerosol-generating articles in which an aerosol-generating substrate, such as a tobacco-containing substrate, is heated rather than combusted are known in the art. Typically, in such articles, the aerosol is generated by transferring heat from a heat source to a physically separate aerosol-generating substrate or material, which may be located in contact with, within, around, or downstream of the heat source. During use of the aerosol-generating article, volatile compounds are released from the substrate by heat transfer from the heat source and become entrained in the air drawn through the article. As the released compounds cool, they condense to form an aerosol.

[0003] Some aerosol-generating articles comprise flavorings that are delivered to the consumer during use of the article to provide a different sensory experience to the consumer, for example, to enhance the flavor of the aerosol. Flavorings can be used to deliver a taste (flavor), an odor (smell), or both taste and odor to the user inhaling the aerosol. It is known to provide heated aerosol-generating articles that include flavorings.

[0004] It is also known to provide flavorants to conventional combustible cigarettes, which are smoked by lighting the end of the cigarette opposite the mouthpiece so that the tobacco rod burns, generating inhalable smoke. Typically, one or more flavorants are mixed with the tobacco in the tobacco rod to provide additional flavor to the mainstream smoke as the tobacco is burned. Such flavorants may be provided, for example, as essential oils.

[0005] Aerosol from conventional cigarettes, which contain numerous components that interact with receptors located in the mouth, provides a sensation of "body," i.e., a relatively strong mouthfeel. "Mouthfeel," as used herein, refers to the physical sensation in the mouth caused by food, beverage, or aerosol, and is distinct from taste. Mouthfeel, along with taste and odor, is a fundamental sensory attribute that determines the overall flavor of a food or aerosol. However, aerosol from conventional cigarettes may also provide an undesirable sensation of stinging, bitterness, or astringency.

[0006] Reproducing the consumer experience provided by traditional combustible cigarettes with aerosol-generating articles in which the aerosol-generating substrate is heated rather than combusted is difficult, in part because of the lower temperatures reached during heating of such aerosol-generating articles, which result in the release of a different profile of volatile compounds.

[0007] It would be desirable to provide novel aerosol-generating substrates for heated aerosol-generating articles that provide aerosols with improved flavor and body. Such aerosol-generating substrates would be particularly desirable if they could provide an aerosol with a sensory experience comparable to that provided by conventional combustible cigarettes. Such aerosol-generating substrates would be particularly desirable if they could provide an aerosol with a sensory experience that is reduced in harshness, bitterness, and astringency compared to that provided by conventional combustible cigarettes.

[0008] It would be further desirable to provide such an aerosol-generating substrate that can be easily incorporated into an aerosol-generating article and that can be manufactured using existing rapid methods and equipment. Summary of the Invention

[0009] The present disclosure relates to an aerosol-generating article comprising an aerosol-generating substrate formed from homogenized plant material. The homogenized plant material may contain, on a dry weight basis, 1 to 65 weight percent non-tobacco plant particles, or 1 to 65 weight percent tobacco particles. The homogenized plant material may contain, on a dry weight basis, 15 to 55 weight percent aerosol formers. The homogenized plant material may contain, on a dry weight basis, 2 to 10 weight percent cellulose ether. The homogenized plant material may contain, on a dry weight basis, 5 to 50 weight percent additional cellulose. The additional cellulose may not be derived from non-tobacco plant particles. The ratio of the additional cellulose to the cellulose ether may be at least 2.

[0010] According to the present invention, there is provided an aerosol-generating article comprising an aerosol-generating substrate formed from homogenized plant material comprising, on a dry weight basis, 1 to 65 weight percent non-tobacco plant particles, 15 to 55 weight percent aerosol former on a dry weight basis, 2 to 10 weight percent cellulose ether on a dry weight basis, and 5 to 50 weight percent additional cellulose. According to the present invention, the additional cellulose is not derived from non-tobacco plant particles, and the ratio of the additional cellulose to the cellulose ether in the homogenized plant material is at least 2.

[0011] The present invention further provides an aerosol-generating article comprising an aerosol-generating substrate formed from homogenized plant material comprising, on a dry weight basis, 1 to 65 percent tobacco particles, 15 to 55 percent aerosol former, on a dry weight basis, 2 to 10 percent cellulose ether, and 5 to 50 percent additional cellulose, wherein the additional cellulose is not derived from tobacco particles and the ratio of the additional cellulose to the cellulose ether in the homogenized plant material is at least 2.

[0012] As used herein, the term "aerosol-generating article" refers to an article for producing an aerosol, where the article comprises an aerosol-generating substrate that is suitable and intended to be heated or burned to release volatile compounds capable of forming an aerosol. A conventional cigarette is lit when a user applies a flame to one end of the cigarette and draws air through the other end. Localized heat provided by the flame and the oxygen in the air drawn through the cigarette ignites the end of the cigarette, and the resulting combustion produces inhalable smoke. In contrast, in a "heated aerosol-generating article," the aerosol is generated by heating the aerosol-generating substrate rather than by burning it. Known heated aerosol-generating articles include, for example, electrically heated aerosol-generating articles and aerosol-generating articles in which the aerosol is generated by transferring heat from a combustible fuel element or heat source to a physically separated aerosol-generating substrate.

[0013] Also known are aerosol-generating articles adapted for use in aerosol-generating systems that supply aerosol formers to the aerosol-generating article, where the aerosol-generating substrate in the aerosol-generating article contains substantially less aerosol formers relative to the aerosol-generating substrate that carries and provides substantially all of the aerosol formers used to form the aerosol during operation.

[0014] As used herein, the term "aerosol-generating substrate" refers to a substrate capable of generating, upon heating, volatile compounds capable of forming an aerosol. The aerosol generated from an aerosol-generating substrate may or may not be visible to the human eye and may include vapor (e.g., gaseous fine particles of a substance that is normally a liquid or solid at room temperature) as well as gas and liquid droplets of condensed vapor.

[0015] As used herein, the term "homogenized plant material" encompasses any plant material formed by agglomeration of plant particles. For example, a sheet or web of homogenized plant material for an aerosol-generating substrate of the present invention may be formed by agglomerating particles of plant material obtained by grinding, crushing, or comminuting non-tobacco plant material and, optionally, one or more of tobacco lamina and tobacco stems. Homogenized plant material may be produced by casting, extrusion, a papermaking process, or any other suitable process known in the art.

[0016] As used herein, the term "plant particles" encompasses particles derived from any suitable plant material that have the ability to generate one or more volatile flavor compounds upon heating. This term is intended to exclude particles of inert plant material, such as cellulose, that do not contribute to the sensory output of the aerosol-generating substrate. Depending on the plant from which the plant particles are derived, the plant particles may be produced from crushed or powdered leaf laminae, fruits, petioles, stems, roots, seeds, buds, or peels, or any other suitable part of the plant.

[0017] According to one aspect of the invention, the plant particles comprise non-tobacco plant particles. The non-tobacco plant particles may be used in combination with tobacco particles, or the homogenized plant material may be substantially tobacco-free. According to another aspect of the invention, the plant particles are tobacco particles. As used herein, the term "plant particles" refers to non-tobacco plant particles, tobacco particles, or a combination thereof provided in the homogenized plant material.

[0018] As used herein, the term "additional cellulose" encompasses any cellulose material incorporated into the homogenized plant material that does not originate from non-tobacco plant particles or tobacco particles provided in the homogenized plant material. The additional cellulose is incorporated into the homogenized plant material as an individual and separate cellulose source relative to any cellulose inherently provided within any plant particles present, in addition to the non-tobacco plant material or tobacco material. In particular, the additional cellulose is in the form of isolated cellulose. This means that the cellulose originates from the plant material, but has been extracted and separated from other components of the plant material, such as lignin and hemicellulose. Thus, the additional cellulose is exogenously provided from any plant material present and is at least partially purified.

[0019] The additional cellulose is preferably in the form of an inert cellulosic material that is sensorily neutral. Thus, the additional cellulose does not substantially affect the sensory properties of the aerosol generated from the aerosol-generating substrate. For example, the additional cellulose is preferably a substantially tasteless and odorless material.

[0020] As defined below, on a dry weight basis, it is preferred that less than about 2 weight percent of each of the characteristic compounds present in the homogenized plant material is derived from the additional cellulose, more preferably less than about 1 weight percent is derived from the additional cellulose, and most preferably about 0 weight percent is derived from the additional cellulose.

[0021] On a dry weight basis, preferably, less than about 2 weight percent of the nicotine present in the homogenized plant material is derived from the additional cellulose, more preferably, less than about 1 weight percent is derived from the additional cellulose, and most preferably, about 0 weight percent is derived from the additional cellulose.

[0022] Thus, the additional cellulose preferably provides a negligible amount, preferably substantially no amount, of compounds characteristic of non-tobacco or tobacco materials.

[0023] The additional cellulose may consist of one type of cellulose material, or may be a combination of different types of cellulose materials that provide different properties, as described in more detail below.

[0024] The present invention provides an aerosol-generating article comprising a novel aerosol-generating substrate formed from homogenized plant material formed with at least one of non-tobacco plant particles and tobacco particles in combination with a cellulose ether and additional cellulose material. It has been found that the combination of the cellulose ether and additional cellulose material at defined levels and in defined ratios advantageously provides homogenized plant material with improved tensile strength and uniformity.

[0025] For certain non-tobacco plants, it has proven technically difficult to produce homogenized plant material with acceptable tensile strength when the proportion of non-tobacco plant particles exceeds a certain level. Therefore, for such plants, it is difficult to provide usable homogenized plant material with a sufficiently high level of non-tobacco plant particles to achieve a desired level of flavor in the generated aerosol. Typically, above a threshold level of non-tobacco plant particles, the homogenized plant material has been found to have low tensile strength and a non-uniform texture. If the tensile strength of the homogenized plant material is too low, it is brittle and cannot be effectively processed to form an aerosol-generating substrate, especially on an industrial scale.

[0026] The present inventors have discovered that by using a specific combination of cellulose ether and additional cellulose in the homogenized plant material, as defined above, a more effective binding effect of non-tobacco plant particles can be achieved, and the resulting homogenized plant material has a significantly higher tensile strength. Therefore, the resulting homogenized plant material can be easily processed to form an aerosol-generating substrate using existing high-speed equipment and technology. Therefore, for a particular non-tobacco plant material, it is possible to produce an acceptable homogenized plant material with a higher level of non-tobacco plant particles than previously possible.

[0027] Furthermore, it has been found that the use of this combination of cellulose ether and additional cellulose in the aerosol-generating substrate of an aerosol-generating article according to the present invention provides improved aerosol delivery from the aerosol-generating substrate. In particular, significant improvements can be achieved in aerosol delivery from aerosol-generating substrates that are heated to relatively low temperatures during use to generate aerosols. For example, as described in more detail below, it has been found that the present invention is particularly effective for aerosol-generating substrates adapted to be heated to temperatures below 275°C during use.

[0028] As defined above, the homogenized plant material forming the aerosol-generating substrate of the aerosol-generating article according to the present invention comprises, on a dry weight basis, from about 2 weight percent to about 10 weight percent of a cellulose ether, which has been found to provide highly effective binding properties when used with plant particles in the homogenized plant material.

[0029] The homogenized plant material contains, on a dry weight basis, at least about 2 weight percent cellulose ether, preferably at least about 3 weight percent cellulose ether, more preferably at least about 4 weight percent cellulose ether, and more preferably about 5 weight percent cellulose ether.

[0030] The homogenized plant material contains, on a dry weight basis, about 10 weight percent or less of cellulose ether, preferably about 9 weight percent or less of cellulose ether, more preferably about 8 weight percent or less of cellulose ether, and more preferably about 7 weight percent or less of cellulose ether.

[0031] For example, the homogenized plant material may contain, on a dry weight basis, from about 3 weight percent to about 9 weight percent cellulose ether, or from about 4 weight percent to about 8 weight percent cellulose ether, or from about 4 weight percent to about 7 weight percent cellulose ether, or about 5 weight percent cellulose ether.

[0032] Suitable cellulose ethers for use in the present invention include, but are not limited to, methyl cellulose, hydroxypropyl methyl cellulose, ethyl cellulose, hydroxyl ethyl cellulose, hydroxyl propyl cellulose, ethyl hydroxyl ethyl cellulose and carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC). In a particularly preferred embodiment, the cellulose ether is carboxymethyl cellulose.

[0033] It is believed that the additional cellulose incorporated into the homogenized plant material that forms the aerosol-generating substrate of the aerosol-generating article according to the present invention provides additional structure and reinforcement to bind and support the plant particles and aerosol formers within the homogenized material.

[0034] The additional cellulose may include cellulose powder.

[0035] The term "cellulose powder" is used herein to refer to purified cellulose material in powder form derived from the processing and refining of cellulose-containing plant fibers. Thus, cellulose powder is an at least partially purified cellulose material.

[0036] Preferably, the cellulose powder has a purity of at least about 90 percent, more preferably at least about 95 percent, more preferably at least about 97 percent, and more preferably at least about 99 percent.

[0037] The cellulose powder preferably comprises at least about 90 weight percent cellulose, more preferably at least about 95 weight percent cellulose, most preferably at least about 97 weight percent cellulose, and even more preferably at least about 99 weight percent cellulose, on a dry weight basis, The amount of cellulose can be determined using techniques known in the art.

[0038] Preferably, the cellulose powder is formed of particles having an average particle size of less than about 250 microns, more preferably less than about 100 microns.

[0039] The cellulose powder may be in the form of a powdered cellulose product formed by mechanical disintegration and purification of unmodified cellulose fibers. Cellulose powder is classified as a food additive E460(ii) in accordance with Regulation (EC) No. 1333 / 2008.

[0040] Alternatively, the cellulose powder may be in the form of chemically modified cellulose, such as microcrystalline cellulose, which is classified as food additive number E460(i) in accordance with Regulation (EC) 1333 / 2008. Microcrystalline cellulose is a crystalline form of pure, partially depolymerized cellulose, which is synthesized by treating alpha cellulose with mineral acids.

[0041] Suitable cellulose powders for use in the present invention are available as microcrystalline cellulose types SK-105 or SK-101, or cellulose powder type M-60, manufactured by Gumix International, Inc. (New Jersey).

[0042] Preferably, the amount of cellulose powder corresponds to at least about 5 weight percent homogenized plant material, more preferably at least about 6 weight percent homogenized plant material, more preferably at least about 7 weight percent homogenized plant material, and even more preferably at least about 8 weight percent homogenized plant material, on a dry weight basis.

[0043] The amount of cellulose powder may be adjusted above this minimum level depending on the weight of other components in the homogenized plant material, particularly the weight of plant particles, In certain embodiments, the cellulose powder can replace a proportion of the plant particles in the homogenized plant material without significantly affecting the properties of the generated aerosol.

[0044] Preferably, the amount of cellulose powder corresponds to about 45 weight percent or less of the homogenized plant material, and more preferably to about 40 weight percent or less of the homogenized plant material, on a dry weight basis.

[0045] In certain embodiments, such as those having a relatively high level of plant particles in the homogenized plant material, the amount of cellulose powder may be relatively low. In such embodiments, the amount of cellulose powder may be from about 5 weight percent to about 15 weight percent of the homogenized plant material, or from about 6 weight percent to about 12 weight percent of the homogenized plant material, or from about 7 weight percent to about 11 weight percent of the homogenized plant material, or from about 8 weight percent to about 10 weight percent of the homogenized plant material, on a dry weight basis.

[0046] In other embodiments, such as those having a relatively low level of plant particles in the homogenized plant material, the amount of cellulose powder may be relatively higher. In such embodiments, the amount of cellulose powder may be from about 15 weight percent to about 45 weight percent of the homogenized plant material, or from about 20 weight percent to about 40 weight percent of the homogenized plant material, or from about 25 weight percent to about 35 weight percent of the homogenized plant material, on a dry weight basis.

[0047] Preferably, the weight ratio of cellulose powder to cellulose ether in the homogenized plant material is at least about 1.5, i.e., the amount of cellulose powder is at least 1.5 times the amount of cellulose ether, more preferably at least about 1.6, and even more preferably at least about 1.8.

[0048] Instead of or in addition to cellulose powder, the additional cellulose may include cellulose reinforcing fibers. The term "cellulose reinforcing fibers" as used herein refers to fibers obtained directly from plant-derived materials, each fiber having a length significantly greater than its width. Preferably, the cellulose reinforcing fibers have a fiber length of at least 400 microns. Suitable cellulose reinforcing fibers for use in the present invention include, for example, wood pulp fibers. A suitable source of cellulose reinforcing fibers for use in the present invention is available as ECF bleached hardwood kraft pulp from Storaenso (Sweden).

[0049] The cellulose reinforcing fibers may advantageously act as mechanical reinforcement in the homogenized plant material that forms the aerosol-generating substrate of the aerosol-generating article according to the invention. The cellulose reinforcing fibers may improve the bonding of plant particles in the homogenized plant material and, in combination with the cellulose ether, may provide improved tensile strength.

[0050] Preferably, the amount of cellulose reinforcing fiber corresponds to at least about 3 weight percent homogenized plant material, more preferably at least about 4 weight percent homogenized plant material, more preferably at least about 5 weight percent homogenized plant material, and even more preferably at least about 6 weight percent homogenized plant material, on a dry weight basis.

[0051] Preferably, the amount of cellulose reinforcing fiber corresponds to no more than about 12 weight percent homogenized plant material, more preferably at least about 11 weight percent homogenized plant material, more preferably at least about 10 weight percent homogenized plant material, and even more preferably at least about 8 weight percent homogenized plant material, on a dry weight basis.

[0052] For example, the homogenized plant material may include, on a dry weight basis, from about 3 weight percent to about 12 weight percent cellulose reinforcing fibers, or from about 4 weight percent to about 11 weight percent cellulose reinforcing fibers, or from about 5 weight percent to about 10 weight percent cellulose reinforcing fibers, or from about 6 weight percent to about 8 weight percent cellulose reinforcing fibers.

[0053] Preferably, the weight ratio of cellulose reinforcing fibers to cellulose ether in the homogenized plant material is at least about 0.5, i.e., the amount of cellulose reinforcing fibers is at least half the amount of cellulose ether. More preferably, the weight ratio of cellulose reinforcing fibers to cellulose ether in the homogenized plant material is at least about 0.75, and even more preferably at least about 1.

[0054] In preferred embodiments, the additional cellulose comprises cellulose powder and cellulose reinforcing fibers, and in such embodiments, the weight ratio of cellulose powder to cellulose reinforcing fibers is preferably at least about 1.5, more preferably at least about 1.75, and even more preferably at least about 2.

[0055] Preferably, the amount of additional cellulose provided in the homogenized plant material is such that the total amount of additional cellulose and plant particles corresponds to no more than 75 weight percent of the homogenized plant material. Thus, preferably, at least about 25 weight percent of the homogenized plant material is provided by the cellulose ether and other components, including the aerosol former.

[0056] The homogenized plant material forming the aerosol-generating substrate of the aerosol-generating article according to the present invention further comprises about 5 weight percent to about 55 weight percent of an aerosol former. Upon volatilization, the aerosol former can carry other vaporized compounds, such as nicotine and flavorings, in the aerosol, which are released from the aerosol-generating substrate upon heating. Suitable aerosol formers for inclusion in the homogenized plant material are known in the art and include, but are not limited to, polyhydric alcohols (such as triethylene glycol, propylene glycol, 1,3-butanediol, and glycerol), esters of polyhydric alcohols (such as glycerol mono-, di-, or triacetate), and aliphatic esters of mono-, di-, or polycarboxylic acids (such as dimethyl dodecanedioate and tetradecanedioate). The homogenized plant material can contain a single aerosol former or a combination of two or more aerosol formers.

[0057] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the aerosol former is glycerol.

[0058] Preferably, the homogenized plant material contains at least 10 weight percent aerosol formers, and more preferably at least 15 weight percent aerosol formers, on a dry weight basis.

[0059] Preferably, the homogenized plant material contains, on a dry weight basis, about 50 weight percent or less of aerosol formers, and more preferably about 45 weight percent or less of aerosol formers.

[0060] The amount of aerosol former may be adapted depending on the composition of the homogenized plant material, such as the type or amount of plant particles, to achieve an aerosol having a desired level of flavor compounds from the plant particles. The amount of aerosol former may also be adapted depending on the intended method for heating the aerosol-generating substrate during use, in particular the temperature to which the aerosol-generating substrate will be heated during heating of the aerosol-generating article in the associated aerosol-generating device.

[0061] In certain embodiments of the invention, the aerosol-generating substrate is adapted to be heated to a temperature above 300 degrees Celsius, such as about 350 degrees Celsius. This temperature range is typically provided when the aerosol-generating substrate is heated by an internal heater element, for example, in the commercially available IQOS device (Philip Morris Products SA, Switzerland). In such embodiments, the homogenized plant material preferably comprises, on a dry weight basis, from about 5 weight percent to about 40 weight percent aerosol formers, more preferably from about 10 weight percent to about 35 weight percent aerosol formers, even more preferably from about 15 weight percent to about 30 weight percent aerosol formers.

[0062] In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the homogenized plant material comprises, on a dry weight basis, 50 weight percent to 65 weight percent non-tobacco particles, and, on a dry weight basis, 15 weight percent to 25 weight percent aerosol formers.

[0063] In another preferred embodiment of the present invention, the homogenized plant material comprises, on a dry weight basis, from about 50 weight percent to about 65 weight percent tobacco particles, and, on a dry weight basis, from about 15 weight percent to about 25 weight percent aerosol formers.

[0064] In other embodiments of the invention, the aerosol-generating substrate is adapted to be heated to a temperature of less than 300° C., or less than 275° C. In such embodiments, it has generally been found advantageous to provide a relatively high level of aerosol former to provide a desired level of flavor compounds from the plant particles in the aerosol generated upon heating. In such embodiments, the homogenized plant material preferably comprises, on a dry weight basis, from about 30 weight percent to about 55 weight percent aerosol former, more preferably from about 30 weight percent to about 50 weight percent aerosol former, and even more preferably from about 30 weight percent to about 45 weight percent aerosol former.

[0065] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the homogenized plant material comprises, on a dry weight basis, from about 10 weight percent to about 55 weight percent non-tobacco particles, and, on a dry weight basis, from about 30 weight percent to about 45 weight percent aerosol formers.

[0066] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the homogenized plant material comprises, on a dry weight basis, from about 10 weight percent to about 55 weight percent tobacco particles, and, on a dry weight basis, from about 30 weight percent to about 45 weight percent aerosol formers.

[0067] In those embodiments in which the aerosol-generating substrate is intended to be heated at a relatively low temperature, the inclusion of a cellulose ether in the homogenized plant material has been found to advantageously improve aerosol formation, and in particular, delivery of the aerosol former, compared to other binder materials.

[0068] As defined above, the homogenized plant material comprises about 1 weight percent to about 65 weight percent plant particles, which provide flavor compounds to the aerosol generated from the aerosol-generating substrate. The plant particles may be non-tobacco plant particles, tobacco particles, or a combination of non-tobacco plant particles and tobacco particles. The amount of plant particles provided in the homogenized plant material can be adapted depending on the level of flavor compounds desired in the resulting aerosol. This may depend, to some extent, on the choice of plant from which the plant particles are derived, or the level of any other flavor providing components of the homogenized plant material.

[0069] The homogenized plant material preferably comprises at least about 5 weight percent plant particles, more preferably at least about 10 weight percent plant particles, more preferably at least about 15 weight percent plant particles, and even more preferably at least about 20 weight percent plant particles.

[0070] The homogenized plant material preferably contains no more than about 60 weight percent plant particles, more preferably no more than about 55 weight percent plant particles, more preferably no more than about 50 weight percent plant particles, and even more preferably no more than about 45 weight percent plant particles.

[0071] As defined above, according to the first aspect of the present invention, the homogenized plant material comprises non-tobacco plant particles. The non-tobacco plant particles may be derived from one or more non-tobacco plants, depending on the desired flavor of the resulting aerosol. Preferably, the non-tobacco plant particles comprise rosemary particles, ginger particles, star anise particles, clove particles, eucalyptus particles, or a combination thereof.

[0072] In certain embodiments, substantially all of the plant particles forming the homogenized plant material are non-tobacco plant particles. In alternative embodiments, the homogenized plant material comprises non-tobacco plant particles in combination with at least one of tobacco particles or cannabis particles, as described below. Preferably, the total weight of non-tobacco particles, tobacco particles, and cannabis particles is 65 weight percent or less, on a dry weight basis.

[0073] In the following description of the invention, the term "particulate plant material" is used to refer collectively to the particles of plant material used to form the homogenized plant material.

[0074] When the homogenized plant material contains a combination of non-tobacco plant particles and tobacco particles, the homogenized plant material preferably contains at least about 1 weight percent tobacco particles, more preferably at least about 5 weight percent tobacco particles, more preferably at least about 10 weight percent tobacco particles, more preferably at least about 20 weight percent tobacco particles, more preferably at least about 30 weight percent tobacco particles, and even more preferably at least about 40 weight percent tobacco particles, on a dry weight basis. The homogenized plant material preferably contains up to about 64 weight percent tobacco particles, more preferably up to about 60 weight percent tobacco particles, more preferably up to about 55 weight percent tobacco particles, and even more preferably up to about 50 weight percent tobacco particles, on a dry weight basis.

[0075] The weight ratio of non-tobacco plant particles to tobacco particles in the particulate plant material forming the homogenized plant material can vary depending on the desired flavor characteristics and composition of the aerosol. For example, the weight ratio of non-tobacco plant particles to tobacco particles can be about 1:60 to 60:1, about 1:10 to about 10:1, or about 1:5 to 5:1.

[0076] According to a second aspect of the present invention, the homogenized plant material comprises tobacco particles. In certain embodiments, substantially all of the plant particles forming the homogenized plant material are tobacco particles. Alternatively, the tobacco particles may be combined with one or more other types of plant particles, as described above.

[0077] For all embodiments of the present invention, the term "tobacco particles" describes particles of any plant material of the Nicotiana species. The term "tobacco particles" encompasses ground or powdered tobacco lamina, ground or powdered tobacco stems, tobacco dust, tobacco fines, and other particulate tobacco by-products formed during tobacco processing, handling, and shipping. In preferred embodiments, the tobacco particles are derived substantially entirely from tobacco lamina. In contrast, isolated nicotine and nicotine salts, although tobacco-derived compounds, are not considered tobacco particles for purposes of the present invention and are not included in the proportion of particulate plant material.

[0078] The tobacco particles may be prepared from one or more tobacco plant varieties. Any type of tobacco may be used in the blend. Examples of types of tobacco materials that may be used include, but are not limited to, sun-cured tobacco, flue-cured tobacco, burley tobacco, Maryland tobacco, Orient tobacco, Virginia tobacco, and other specialty tobaccos.

[0079] Flame-curing is a tobacco curing method used specifically with Virginia tobacco. During the flue-curing process, heated air is circulated through tightly packed tobacco. During the first stage, the tobacco leaves yellow and wither. During the second stage, the leaf lamina dries completely. During the third stage, the leaf stem dries completely.

[0080] Burley tobacco plays an important role in many tobacco blends. It has a unique flavor and aroma and the ability to absorb large amounts of casing.

[0081] Orient is a type of tobacco with small leaves and high aromatic qualities. However, Orient tobacco has a milder flavor than, for example, Burley. Therefore, Orient tobacco is generally used in relatively small proportions in tobacco blends.

[0082] Kasturi, Madura, and Jatim are subtypes of sun-cured tobacco that can be used. Preferably, Kasturi and flue-cured tobaccos are blended to produce tobacco particles. Thus, the tobacco particles in the particulate plant material can comprise a blend of Kasturi and flue-cured tobaccos.

[0083] The tobacco particles may have a nicotine content of at least about 2.5 weight percent on a dry weight basis. More preferably, the tobacco particles may have a nicotine content of at least about 3 weight percent on a dry weight basis, even more preferably at least about 3.2 weight percent, even more preferably at least about 3.5 weight percent, and most preferably at least about 4 weight percent. When the aerosol-generating substrate comprises tobacco particles in combination with non-tobacco particles, the tobacco with a high nicotine content preferably maintains a similar level of nicotine to a typical aerosol-generating substrate without non-tobacco particles, since the total amount of nicotine would otherwise be reduced due to the substitution of tobacco particles for non-tobacco particles.

[0084] Nicotine may optionally be incorporated into the aerosol-generating substrate, which for purposes of the present invention is considered a non-tobacco material. The nicotine may comprise one or more nicotine salts selected from the list consisting of nicotine lactate, nicotine citrate, nicotine pyruvate, nicotine bitartrate, nicotine benzoate, nicotine pectinate, nicotine alginate, and nicotine salicylate. The nicotine may be incorporated in addition to low-nicotine tobacco, or the nicotine may be incorporated into an aerosol-generating substrate having reduced or no tobacco content.

[0085] The homogenized plant material preferably contains one or more organic acids that bind nicotine in the homogenized plant material via the formation of one or more nicotine salts. The one or more organic acids are preferably one or more carboxylic acids. The carboxylic acids may include a ketone group. The carboxylic acids preferably include a ketone group having less than about 10 carbon atoms or fewer. Preferred carboxylic acids for use in the present invention include, but are not limited to, lactic acid and levulinic acid. The homogenized plant material preferably contains about 0.5 weight percent to about 2 weight percent of the acid, most preferably lactic acid.

[0086] Preferably, the aerosol-generating substrate contains at least 0.1 milligrams of nicotine per gram of substrate on a dry weight basis, more preferably at least about 0.5 mg of nicotine per gram of substrate, more preferably at least about 1 mg of nicotine per gram of substrate, more preferably at least about 1.5 mg of nicotine per gram of substrate, more preferably at least about 2 mg of nicotine per gram of substrate, more preferably at least about 3 mg of nicotine per gram of substrate, more preferably at least about 4 mg of nicotine per gram of substrate, and more preferably at least about 5 mg of nicotine per gram of substrate on a dry weight basis.

[0087] Preferably, the aerosol-generating substrate contains, on a dry weight basis, a maximum of about 50 mg of nicotine per gram of substrate, more preferably, a maximum of about 45 mg of nicotine per gram of substrate, more preferably, a maximum of about 40 mg of nicotine per gram of substrate, more preferably, a maximum of about 35 mg of nicotine per gram of substrate, more preferably, a maximum of about 30 mg of nicotine per gram of substrate, more preferably, a maximum of about 25 mg of nicotine per gram of substrate, more preferably, a maximum of about 20 mg of nicotine per gram of substrate.

[0088] For example, the aerosol-generating substrate may contain, on a dry weight basis, from about 0.1 mg to about 50 mg of nicotine per gram of substrate, or from about 0.5 mg to about 45 mg of nicotine per gram of substrate, or from about 1 mg to about 40 mg of nicotine per gram of substrate, or from about 2 mg to about 35 mg of nicotine per gram of substrate, or from about 5 mg to about 30 mg of nicotine per gram of substrate, or from about 10 mg to about 25 mg of nicotine per gram of substrate, or from about 15 mg to about 20 mg of nicotine per gram of substrate. In certain preferred embodiments of the invention, the aerosol-generating substrate contains, on a dry weight basis, from about 1 mg to about 20 mg of nicotine per gram of substrate.

[0089] The defined range of nicotine content for the aerosol-generating substrate includes all forms of nicotine that may be present in the aerosol-generating substrate, including nicotine inherently present in the tobacco material, as well as nicotine optionally added separately to the aerosol-generating substrate, for example in the form of a nicotine salt.

[0090] As an alternative to, or in addition to, including tobacco particles in the homogenized plant material of an aerosol-generating substrate according to the present invention, the homogenized plant material may include at least about 1 weight percent cannabis particles on a dry weight basis. The term "cannabis particles" refers to particles of cannabis plants, such as Cannabis sativa, Cannabis indica, and Cannabis ruderalis.

[0091] The homogenized plant material preferably comprises at least about 1 weight percent cannabis particles, more preferably at least about 5 weight percent cannabis particles, more preferably at least about 10 weight percent cannabis particles, more preferably at least about 20 weight percent cannabis particles, more preferably at least about 30 weight percent cannabis particles, and more preferably at least about 40 weight percent cannabis particles, on a dry weight basis.

[0092] The homogenized plant material preferably contains, on a dry weight basis, up to about 64 weight percent cannabis particles, more preferably up to about 60 weight percent cannabis particles, more preferably up to about 55 weight percent cannabis particles, and even more preferably up to about 50 weight percent cannabis particles.

[0093] One or more cannabinoid compounds may optionally be incorporated into the aerosol-generating substrate, but for purposes of the present invention, this is considered a non-cannabis material. As used herein with respect to the present invention, the term "cannabinoid compound" describes any one of a class of naturally occurring compounds found in parts of the cannabis plant, i.e., Cannabis sativa, Cannabis indica, and Cannabis ruderalis. Cannabinoid compounds are particularly concentrated in the female flower heads and are commonly sold as cannabis oil. Naturally occurring cannabinoid compounds in the cannabis plant include tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD). In the context of the present invention, the term "cannabinoid compound" is used to describe both naturally occurring and synthetically produced cannabinoid compounds.

[0094] For example, the aerosol-generating substrate may comprise a cannabinoid compound selected from the group consisting of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), tetrahydrocannabinolic acid (THCA), cannabidiol (CBD), cannabidiolic acid (CBDA), cannabinol (CBN), cannabigerol (CBG), cannabigerol monomethyl ether (CBGM), cannabivarin (CBV), cannabidivarin (CBDV), tetrahydrocannabivarin (THCV), cannabichromene (CBC), cannabicyclol (CBL), cannabichromevarin (CBCV), cannabigerovarin (CBGV), cannabielsoin (CBE), cannabicitran (CBT), and combinations thereof.

[0095] In a particularly preferred embodiment of the present invention, the homogenized plant material comprises rosemary particles. The inventors have found that by incorporating rosemary particles into an aerosol-generating substrate, it is advantageously possible to produce an aerosol that provides a novel sensory experience. Such an aerosol may provide a unique flavor and an enhanced level of kokumi (rich flavor).

[0096] Furthermore, the inventors have found that it is possible to produce an aerosol having an advantageously improved rosemary aroma and flavor compared to aerosols produced by the addition of rosemary additives such as rosemary oil. Rosemary oil is distilled from the leaves of the rosemary plant and has a different flavorant composition than rosemary particles, likely due to the distillation process, which may selectively remove or retain certain flavorants. Furthermore, in certain aerosol-generating substrates provided herein, rosemary particles are incorporated at a level sufficient to provide the desired rosemary flavor, while maintaining sufficient tobacco material to provide the consumer with the desired level of nicotine.

[0097] Furthermore, it has surprisingly been found that including rosemary particles in an aerosol-generating substrate provides a significant reduction in certain undesirable aerosol compounds compared to aerosols generated from an aerosol-generating substrate comprising 100 percent tobacco particles without rosemary particles.

[0098] In such embodiments, the homogenized plant material may comprise between about 10 percent and about 65 percent rosemary particles by weight. The homogenized plant material may optionally comprise a combination of rosemary particles and tobacco particles.

[0099] For example, in one preferred embodiment, the homogenized plant material comprises, on a dry weight basis, about 50 weight percent to about 65 weight percent rosemary particles. In such an embodiment, the homogenized plant material preferably comprises, on a dry weight basis, about 15 weight percent to about 25 weight percent aerosol formers.

[0100] For homogenized plant material in which the plant particles include rosemary particles, it has previously proven difficult to form sheets of homogenized plant material having a plant particle content of more than about 30 weight percent using known cast leaf processes. At this relatively high level of rosemary particles, the resulting homogenized plant material is particularly brittle and porous with low tensile strength, resulting in the homogenized plant material being unsuitable for use in forming aerosol-generating substrates. The present inventors have surprisingly discovered that by incorporating a combination of the above-defined cellulose ether and additional cellulose into the homogenized plant material, it is possible to produce significantly improved homogenized plant material incorporating up to 65 weight percent rosemary particles. In particular, homogenized plant material containing 50 to 60 weight percent rosemary particles can be produced, which is uniform in texture and has significantly improved tensile strength.

[0101] In another preferred embodiment, the homogenized plant material comprises, on a dry weight basis, about 10 percent to about 55 percent rosemary particles and, on a dry weight basis, about 35 percent to about 45 percent aerosol former. This embodiment, with its relatively high aerosol former content, is particularly suitable for use in heating devices that heat the aerosol-generating substrate to temperatures below 275 degrees Celsius, as described above. The relatively high aerosol former content provides optimal delivery of flavor compounds from the rosemary particles to the aerosol generated from the aerosol-generating substrate upon heating.

[0102] The presence of rosemary in homogenized plant material (such as cast leaves) can be reliably identified by DNA barcoding. Methods for performing DNA barcoding based on the nuclear genes ITS2, rbcL, and matK, and the plastid intergenic spacer trnH-psbA are known in the art and can be used (Chen S, Yao H, Han J, Liu C, Song J, et al. (2010) Validation of the ITS2 Region as a Novel DNA Barcode for Identifying Medicinal Plant Species. PLoS ONE 5(1):e8613; Hollingsworth PM, Graham SW, Little DP (2011) Choosing and Using a Plant DNA Barcode. PLoS ONE 6(5):e19254).

[0103] The inventors conducted a complex analysis and characterization of aerosols generated from aerosol-generating substrates of the present invention incorporating rosemary particles and mixtures of rosemary and tobacco particles, and compared these aerosols with aerosols generated from existing aerosol-generating substrates formed from tobacco material without rosemary particles. Based on this, the inventors were able to identify a group of "signature compounds" present in the aerosol that are compounds derived from rosemary particles. Therefore, detection of these characteristic compounds within a specific range of weight percentages in the aerosol can be used to identify aerosols derived from aerosol-generating substrates containing rosemary particles. These characteristic compounds are notably absent in aerosols generated from tobacco material. Furthermore, the proportions of the characteristic compounds in the aerosol and their ratios to each other clearly indicate the use of rosemary plant material, rather than rosemary oil. Similarly, the presence of these characteristic compounds in specific proportions in the aerosol-generating substrate indicates the inclusion of rosemary particles within the substrate.

[0104] In particular, the defined levels of characteristic compounds in the substrate and aerosol are specific to the rosemary particles present in the homogenized plant material. The level of each characteristic compound depends on the way the rosemary particles were processed during the production of the homogenized plant material. The level also depends on the composition of the homogenized plant material, and may be affected, in particular, by the levels of other components in the homogenized plant material. The level of a characteristic compound in the homogenized plant material may differ from the level of the same compound in the starting rosemary material. This may also differ from the level of the characteristic compound in a material containing rosemary particles but not according to the invention as defined herein.

[0105] Similarly, the signature compounds can be distinguished from other plant materials, and the presence of the signature compounds at levels within a specifically defined range indicates the presence of the plant material in the homogenized plant material.

[0106] To perform aerosol characterization, we used a complementary non-targeted differential screening (NTDS) using liquid chromatography coupled to a high-resolution accurate mass spectrometer (LC-HRAM-MS) in parallel with two-dimensional gas chromatography coupled to a time-of-flight mass spectrometer (GCxGC-TOFMS).

[0107] Non-targeted screening (NTS) is an important method for characterizing the chemical composition of complex matrices, either by matching the features of unknown detected compounds to spectral databases (suspect screening [SSA]) or by elucidating unknown structures in the absence of prior knowledge by using primary fragmentation (MS / MS)-derived information that matches in silico predicted fragments from compound databases (non-targeted analysis [NTA]). NTS allows for simultaneous measurements and the ability to semi-quantitate a large number of small molecules from a sample using an unbiased approach.

[0108] As mentioned above, non-targeted differential screening (NTDS) can be performed when focusing on the comparison of two or more aerosol samples to assess significant differences in chemical composition between samples in an uncontrolled manner, or when prior knowledge of related groups is available between sample groups. Complementary differential screening using liquid chromatography coupled to a high-resolution accurate mass spectrometer (LC-HRAM-MS) in parallel with two-dimensional gas chromatography coupled to a time-of-flight mass spectrometer (GCxGC-TOFMS) is applied to ensure comprehensive analytical coverage to identify the most relevant differences in aerosols between articles containing 100% rosemary by weight as particulate plant material and articles containing 100% tobacco by weight as particulate plant material.

[0109] The aerosol was generated and collected using the equipment and methods described in detail below.

[0110] LC-HRAM-MS analysis was performed using a Thermo QExactive™ high-resolution mass spectrometer in both full scan and data-dependent modes. Three different methods were applied to cover a wide range of materials with different ionization properties and compound classes. Samples were analyzed using heated electrospray ionization (HESI) in positive and negative modes, and RP chromatography with atmospheric pressure chemical ionization (APCI) in positive mode. The methods are: Arndt, D. et al, “In depth characterization of chemical differences between heat-not-burn tobacco products and cigarettes using LC-HRAM-MS-based non-targeted differential screening” (DOI:10.13140 / RG.2.2.11752.16643), Wachsmuth, C. et al, “Comprehensive chemical characterization of complex matrices through integration of multiple analytical modes and databases for LC-HRAM-MS-based non-targeted screening” (DOI:10.13140 / RG.2.2.12701.61927) and “Buchholz, C. et al, “Increasing confidence for compound identification by fragmentation database and in silico fragmentation comparison with LC-HRAM-MS-based non-targeted screening of complex matrices” (DOI:10.13140 / RG.2.2.17944.49927) (all from the 66th ASMS Conference on Mass Spectrometry and Allied Topics, San Diego, USA (2018)).The method is further described in: Arndt, D. et al., “A complex matrix characterization approach, applied to sicachine smoke, that integrates multiple analysis methods and compound identification strategies for non-targeted liquid chromatography with high-resolution mass spectrometry” (DOI: 10.1002 / rcm.8571).

[0111] GCxGC-TOFMS analysis was performed in three different ways for non-polar, polar, or highly volatile compounds in the aerosol using an Agilent GC Model 6890A or 7890A instrument equipped with an automatic liquid injector (Model 7683B) and a thermal modulator coupled to a LECO Pegasus 4D™ mass spectrometer. The methods are described in: Almstetter et al., “Non-targeted screening using GC×GC-TOFMS for in-depth chemical characterization of aerosol from a heat-not-burned tobacco product” (DOI: 10.13140 / RG.2.2.36010.31688 / 1), and Almstetter et al., “Non-targeted differential screening of complex matrices using GC×GC-TOFMS for comprehensive characterization of the chemical composition and determination of significant differences” (DOI: 10.13140 / RG.2.2.32692.55680) (66th and 64th ASMS Conferences on Mass Spectrometry and Allied Topics, San Diego, USA, respectively).

[0112] Results from the analytical method provided information about the major compounds responsible for the differences in the aerosols generated by these articles. The untargeted differential screening, using both analytical platforms LC-HRAM-MS and GCxGC-TOFMS, focused on compounds that were present in greater amounts in the aerosols of samples of aerosol-generating substrates according to the invention containing 100 percent rosemary particles versus control samples of aerosol-generating substrates containing 100 percent tobacco particles. The NTDS method is described in the literature listed above.

[0113] Based on this information, the inventors were able to identify specific compounds within the aerosol that could be considered "signature compounds" originating from rosemary particles in the substrate. Signature compounds specific to rosemary include betulinic acid ((3β)-3-hydroxy-lup-20(29)-en-28-oic acid, chemical formula: C 30 H 48 O3, Chemical Abstracts Service Registry No. 472-15-1), rosmaridiphenol (4,5-dihydroxy-12,12-dimethyl-6-(propan-2-yl)tricyclo[9.4.0.0 3 , 8 ]pentadeca-3,5,7-trien-2-one), chemical formula: C 20 H 28 O3, Chemical Abstracts Service registration number 1729-95-2, and 12-O-methylcarnosol, chemical formula: C 21 H 28 O4, Chemical Abstracts Service registration number 85514-27-8.

[0114] For purposes of the present invention, targeted screening may be performed on a sample of an aerosol-generating substrate to identify the presence and amount of each of the characteristic compounds in the substrate. Such targeted screening methods are described below. As described, the characteristic compounds may be detected and measured both in the aerosol-generating substrate and in the aerosol derived from the aerosol-generating substrate.

[0115] As defined above, certain preferred embodiments of the aerosol-generating article of the present invention include an aerosol-generating substrate formed from homogenized plant material containing rosemary particles. As a result of the inclusion of rosemary particles, the aerosol-generating substrate contains specific proportions of rosemary's "characteristic compounds," as described above. In particular, the aerosol-generating substrate preferably contains, on a dry weight basis, at least 50 micrograms of betulinic acid per gram of substrate, at least 20 micrograms of rosmaridiphenol per gram of substrate, and at least 0.3 micrograms of 12-O-methylcarnosol per gram of substrate.

[0116] By defining the aerosol-generating substrate for a desired level of the characteristic compound, it is possible to ensure consistency between products despite potential differences in the level of the characteristic compound in the raw materials, which advantageously allows for more effective control of product quality.

[0117] The aerosol-generating substrate preferably contains, on a dry weight basis, at least about 100 micrograms of betulinic acid per gram of substrate, more preferably at least about 250 micrograms of betulinic acid per gram of substrate, and even more preferably at least about 500 micrograms of betulinic acid per gram of substrate. Alternatively or in addition, the aerosol-generating substrate preferably contains, on a dry weight basis, no more than about 4000 micrograms of betulinic acid per gram of substrate, more preferably no more than about 3500 micrograms of betulinic acid per gram of substrate, more preferably no more than about 3000 micrograms of betulinic acid per gram of substrate, and even more preferably no more than about 2500 micrograms of betulinic acid per gram of substrate.

[0118] For example, the aerosol-generating substrate may contain, on a dry weight basis, from about 50 micrograms to about 4000 micrograms of betulinic acid per gram of substrate, or from about 100 micrograms to about 3500 micrograms of betulinic acid per gram of substrate, or from about 250 micrograms to about 3000 micrograms of betulinic acid per gram of substrate, or from about 500 micrograms to about 2500 micrograms of betulinic acid per gram of substrate.

[0119] The aerosol-generating substrate preferably contains, on a dry weight basis, at least about 50 micrograms of losmaridiphenol per gram of substrate, more preferably at least about 100 micrograms of losmaridiphenol per gram of substrate, and even more preferably at least about 200 micrograms of losmaridiphenol per gram of substrate. Alternatively or in addition, the aerosol-generating substrate preferably contains, on a dry weight basis, no more than about 2000 micrograms of losmaridiphenol per gram of substrate, more preferably no more than about 1750 micrograms of losmaridiphenol per gram of substrate, more preferably no more than about 1500 micrograms of losmaridiphenol per gram of substrate, and even more preferably no more than about 1000 micrograms of losmaridiphenol per gram of substrate.

[0120] For example, the aerosol-generating substrate may contain, on a dry weight basis, from about 20 micrograms to about 2000 micrograms of rosmaridiphenol per gram of substrate, or from about 50 micrograms to about 1750 micrograms of rosmaridiphenol per gram of substrate, or from about 100 micrograms to about 1500 micrograms of rosmaridiphenol per gram of substrate, or from about 200 micrograms to about 1000 micrograms of rosmaridiphenol per gram of substrate.

[0121] The aerosol-generating substrate preferably contains, on a dry weight basis, at least about 1 microgram of 12-O-methyl carnosol per gram of substrate, more preferably at least about 2 micrograms of 12-O-methyl carnosol per gram of substrate, and even more preferably at least about 4 micrograms of 12-O-methyl carnosol per gram of substrate. Alternatively or in addition, the aerosol-generating substrate preferably contains, on a dry weight basis, no more than about 40 micrograms of 12-O-methyl carnosol per gram of substrate, more preferably no more than about 30 micrograms of 12-O-methyl carnosol per gram of substrate, more preferably no more than about 25 micrograms of 12-O-methyl carnosol per gram of substrate, and even more preferably no more than about 20 micrograms of 12-O-methyl carnosol per gram of substrate.

[0122] For example, the aerosol-generating substrate may contain, on a dry weight basis, from about 0.3 micrograms to about 40 micrograms of 12-O-methylcarnosol per gram of substrate, or from about 1 microgram to about 30 micrograms of 12-O-methylcarnosol per gram of substrate, or from about 2 micrograms to about 25 micrograms of 12-O-methylcarnosol per gram of substrate, or from about 4 micrograms to about 20 micrograms of 12-O-methylcarnosol per gram of substrate.

[0123] Preferably, the ratio of the characteristic compounds in the aerosol-generating substrate is such that the amount of betulinic acid per gram of substrate is at least twice the amount of rosmaridiphenol per gram of substrate, more preferably at least 2.5 times the amount of rosmaridiphenol per gram of substrate, and even more preferably at least 3 times the amount of rosmaridiphenol per gram of substrate.

[0124] This ratio of betulinic acid to rosmaridiphenol is characteristic of the inclusion of rosemary particles in the aerosol-generating substrate.

[0125] Preferably, the aerosol-generating substrate comprises greater than 0.5 weight percent 1,8-cineole on a dry weight basis, and more preferably, the aerosol-generating substrate comprises greater than about 1 weight percent 1,8-cineole on a dry weight basis.

[0126] As defined above, the present invention also provides an aerosol-generating article comprising an aerosol-generating substrate formed from homogenized plant material containing rosemary particles, wherein, upon heating of the aerosol-generating substrate, an aerosol containing "characteristic compounds" of rosemary is generated.

[0127] For purposes of the present invention, the aerosol-generating substrate is heated in accordance with "Test Method A." In Test Method A, an aerosol-generating article incorporating the aerosol-generating substrate is heated in a Tobacco Heating System 2.2 holder (THS2.2 holder) under Health Canada's mechanical smoking regimen. For purposes of conducting Test Method A, the aerosol-generating substrate is provided in an aerosol-generating article that is compatible with a THS2.2 holder.

[0128] The Tobacco Heating System 2.2 Holder (THS2.2 Holder) corresponds to the commercially available iQOS device (Philip Morris Products SA, Switzerland) described in Smith et al., 2016, Regul. Toxicol. Pharmacol. 81(S2)S82-S92. Aerosol-generating articles for use with the IQOS device are also commercially available.

[0129] The Health Canada smoking regimen is a clearly defined and accepted smoking protocol in Health Canada's Tobacco Product Information Regulations 2000, SOR / 2000-273, Schedule 2 (published by the Canadian Ministry of Justice). The test method is described in ISO / TR 19478-1:2014. In the Health Canada smoking test, aerosol is collected from a sample aerosol-generating substrate over 12 puffs with a puff volume of 55 millimeters, a puff duration of 2 seconds, and a 30-second interval between puffs, with all ventilation, if present, shut off.

[0130] Thus, in the context of the present invention, the phrase "involving heating of an aerosol-generating substrate in accordance with Test Method A" means heating of the aerosol-generating substrate in a THS2.2 holder under the Health Canada Tobacco Product Information Regulations 2000 SOR / 2000-273, Schedule 2 (published by the Canadian Department of Justice), Health Canada's mechanical smoking regimen, which test method is described in ISO / TR 19478-1:2014.

[0131] For analytical purposes, the aerosol generated from heating the aerosol-generating substrate is trapped using appropriate equipment, depending on the analytical method being used. In a preferred method for generating samples for analysis by LC-HRAM-MS, the particle phase is trapped using a conditioned 44 mm Cambridge glass fiber filter pad (compliant with ISO 3308) and a filter holder (compliant with ISO 4387 and ISO 3308). The remaining gas phase is collected downstream from the filter pad using two consecutive microimpingers (20 mL), each containing methanol and an internal standard (ISTD) solution (10 mL), maintained at -60 °C using a mixture of dry ice and isopropanol. The trapped particle and gas phases are then recombined, and the sample is extracted from the microimpingers with methanol by shaking, stirring, and centrifuging (4500 g, 5 min, 10 °C). The resulting extract is diluted with methanol and mixed in an Eppendorf ThermoMixer (5 °C, 2000 rpm). Test samples from the extracts were analyzed by LC-HRAM-MS in a combination of full scan and data-dependent fragmentation modes to identify characteristic compounds. For the purposes of this invention, LC-HRAM-MS analysis is suitable for the identification and quantification of betulinic acid, rosmaridiphenol, and 12-O-methylcarnosol.

[0132] Samples for analysis by GCxGC-TOFMS can be generated in a similar manner, but for GCxGC-TOFMS analysis, different solvents are appropriate for extraction and analysis of polar, non-polar, and volatile compounds separated from the bulk aerosol.

[0133] For nonpolar and polar compounds, the whole aerosol was collected using a calibrated 44 mm Cambridge glass fiber filter pad (compliant with ISO 3308) and filter holder (compliant with ISO 4387 and ISO 3308), followed by two microimpingers connected in series and sealed. Each microimpinger (20 mL) contained 10 mL of dichloromethane / methanol (80:20 v / v) containing internal standard (ISTD) and retention index marker (RIM) compounds. The microimpingers were maintained at -80°C using a mixture of dry ice and isopropanol. For analysis of nonpolar compounds, the whole aerosol particle phase was extracted from the glass fiber filter pad using the contents of the microimpinger. Water was added to an aliquot (10 mL) of the resulting extract, and the sample was shaken and centrifuged as described above. The dichloromethane layer was separated, dried over sodium sulfate, and analyzed by GCxGC-TOFMS in full scan mode. For the analysis of polar compounds, use the remaining aqueous layer from the non-polar sample preparation described above. ISTD and RIM compounds are added to the aqueous layer, which is then directly analyzed by GCxGC-TOFMS in full scan mode.

[0134] For volatile compounds, the entire aerosol is collected using two serially connected and sealed microimpingers (20 mL), each filled with 10 mL of N,N-dimethylformamide containing the ISTD and RIM compounds. The microimpingers are maintained at -50 to -60 °C using a mixture of dry ice and isopropanol. After collection, the contents of the two microimpingers are combined and analyzed by GCxGC-TOFMS in full scan mode.

[0135] For the purposes of the present invention, GCxGC-TOFMS analysis is suitable for the identification and quantification of 12-O-methylcarnosol.

[0136] The aerosol generated upon heating of the aerosol-generating substrate of the present invention according to Test Method A is preferably characterized by the amounts and ratios of the characteristic compounds betulinic acid, rosmaridiphenol, and 12-O-methylcarnosol, as defined above.

[0137] In an aerosol-generating article comprising the aerosol-generating substrate described above, heating the aerosol-generating substrate in accordance with Test Method A preferably generates an aerosol comprising at least 30 micrograms of betulinic acid per gram of substrate on a dry weight basis, at least 1 microgram of rosmaridiphenol per gram of substrate on a dry weight basis, and at least 1 microgram of 12-O-methylcarnosol per gram of substrate on a dry weight basis.

[0138] The ranges define the amount of each characteristic compound in the generated aerosol per gram of aerosol-generating substrate (also referred to herein as "substrate"), which is equal to the total amount of characteristic compounds measured in the aerosol collected during Test Method A divided by the dry weight of the aerosol-generating substrate before heating.

[0139] Preferably, heating of the aerosol-generating substrate according to Test Method A generates an aerosol containing at least about 30 micrograms of betulinic acid per gram of substrate on a dry weight basis.

[0140] More preferably, the aerosol generated by the aerosol-generating substrate of the present invention contains at least about 100 micrograms of betulinic acid per gram of substrate on a dry weight basis. Even more preferably, the aerosol generated by the aerosol-generating substrate of the present invention contains at least about 250 micrograms of betulinic acid per gram of substrate on a dry weight basis. Alternatively or additionally, the aerosol generated by the aerosol-generating substrate preferably contains at most about 3000 micrograms of betulinic acid per gram of substrate on a dry weight basis. More preferably, the aerosol generated by the aerosol-generating substrate contains at most about 2500 micrograms of betulinic acid per gram of substrate on a dry weight basis. Even more preferably, the aerosol generated by the aerosol-generating substrate contains at most about 2000 micrograms of betulinic acid per gram of substrate on a dry weight basis.

[0141] Preferably, heating of the aerosol-generating substrate according to Test Method A generates an aerosol containing at least about 1 microgram of rosmaridiphenol per gram of substrate on a dry weight basis.

[0142] Preferably, the aerosol generated from the aerosol-generating substrate of the present invention further comprises at least about 10 micrograms of rosmaridiphenol per gram of substrate on a dry weight basis. More preferably, the aerosol generated from the aerosol-generating substrate of the present invention comprises at least about 25 micrograms of rosmaridiphenol per gram of substrate on a dry weight basis. Alternatively or additionally, the aerosol generated from the aerosol-generating substrate preferably comprises at most about 150 micrograms of rosmaridiphenol per gram of substrate on a dry weight basis. More preferably, the aerosol generated from the aerosol-generating substrate comprises at most about 120 micrograms of rosmaridiphenol per gram of substrate on a dry weight basis. Even more preferably, the aerosol generated from the aerosol-generating substrate comprises at most about 100 micrograms of rosmaridiphenol per gram of substrate on a dry weight basis.

[0143] Heating of the aerosol-generating substrate according to Test Method A preferably generates an aerosol containing at least about 1 microgram of 12-O-methylcarnosol per gram of substrate on a dry weight basis.

[0144] Preferably, the aerosol generated by an aerosol-generating substrate according to the present invention contains at least about 10 micrograms of 12-O-methyl carnosol per gram of substrate on a dry weight basis. Even more preferably, the aerosol generated by an aerosol-generating substrate according to the present invention contains at least about 25 micrograms of 12-O-methyl carnosol per gram of substrate on a dry weight basis. Alternatively or additionally, the aerosol generated by an aerosol-generating substrate preferably contains at most about 150 micrograms of 12-O-methyl carnosol per gram of substrate on a dry weight basis. More preferably, the aerosol generated by an aerosol-generating substrate contains at most about 120 micrograms of 12-O-methyl carnosol per gram of substrate on a dry weight basis. Even more preferably, the aerosol generated by an aerosol-generating substrate contains at most about 100 micrograms of 12-O-methyl carnosol per gram of substrate on a dry weight basis.

[0145] In some embodiments, the aerosol generated from an aerosol-generating substrate according to the present invention comprises at least 30 micrograms of betulinic acid per gram of substrate on a dry weight basis, at least 1 microgram of rosmaridiphenol per gram of substrate on a dry weight basis, and at least 1 microgram of 12-O-methylcarnosol per gram of substrate on a dry weight basis.

[0146] The aerosol generated from the aerosol-generating substrate of the present invention during Test Method A preferably contains at least about 0.1 micrograms of nicotine per gram of substrate, more preferably at least about 1 microgram of nicotine per gram of substrate, and even more preferably at least about 2 micrograms of nicotine per gram of substrate. The aerosol preferably contains at most about 10 micrograms of nicotine per gram of substrate, more preferably at most about 7.5 micrograms of nicotine per gram of substrate, and even more preferably at most about 4 micrograms of nicotine per gram of substrate. For example, the aerosol may contain from about 0.1 micrograms to about 10 micrograms of nicotine per gram of substrate, or from about 1 microgram to about 7.5 micrograms of nicotine per gram of substrate, or from about 2 micrograms to about 4 micrograms of nicotine per gram of substrate. In some embodiments of the present invention, the aerosol may contain zero micrograms of nicotine.

[0147] Various methods known in the art can be applied to measure the amount of nicotine in the aerosol.

[0148] Alternatively, or in addition, the aerosol generated from an aerosol-generating substrate according to the present invention during Test Method A may optionally further comprise at least about 20 milligrams of cannabinoid compound per gram of substrate, more preferably at least about 50 milligrams of cannabinoid compound per gram of substrate, and more preferably at least about 100 milligrams of cannabinoid compound per gram of substrate. Preferably, the aerosol comprises up to about 250 milligrams of cannabinoid compound per gram of substrate, more preferably up to about 200 milligrams of cannabinoid compound per gram of substrate, and even more preferably up to about 150 milligrams of cannabinoid compound per gram of substrate. For example, the aerosol may comprise from about 20 milligrams to about 250 milligrams of cannabinoid compound per gram of substrate, or from about 50 milligrams to about 200 milligrams of cannabinoid compound per gram of substrate, or from about 100 milligrams to about 150 milligrams of cannabinoid compound per gram of substrate. In some embodiments of the present invention, the aerosol may contain zero micrograms of cannabinoid compounds.

[0149] Preferably the cannabinoid compound is selected from CBD and THC, more preferably the cannabinoid compound is CBD.

[0150] Various methods known in the art can be applied to measure the amount of cannabinoid compounds in the aerosol.

[0151] Carbon monoxide may also be present in the aerosol generated from an aerosol-generating substrate according to the present invention during Test Method A, and can be measured and used to further characterize the aerosol. Oxides of nitrogen, such as nitric oxide and nitrogen dioxide, may also be present in the aerosol, and can be measured and used to further characterize the aerosol.

[0152] In accordance with the present invention, the aerosol generated from the aerosol-generating substrate during Test Method A preferably has an amount of betulinic acid per gram of substrate that is at least five times the amount of rosmaridiphenol per gram of substrate.

[0153] It is more preferred that the amount of betulinic acid in the aerosol generated from the aerosol-generating substrate during Test Method A is at least 10 times the amount of rosmaridiphenol per gram of substrate, so that the ratio of betulinic acid to rosmaridiphenol is at least 10:1. It is even more preferred that the amount of betulinic acid in the aerosol generated from the aerosol-generating substrate during Test Method A is at least 20 times the amount of rosmaridiphenol per gram of substrate, so that the ratio of betulinic acid to rosmaridiphenol is at least 20:1.

[0154] In a preferred embodiment, the amount of betulinic acid in the aerosol generated from the aerosol-generating substrate during Test Method A is such that the ratio of betulinic acid to rosmaridiphenol is between 5:1 and 20:1.

[0155] A defined ratio of betulinic acid to rosmaridiphenol characterizes the aerosol derived from rosemary particles. In contrast, the ratio of betulinic acid to rosmaridiphenol will be significantly different in the aerosol generated from rosemary oil.

[0156] The presence of rosemary in the aerosol-generating substrate and the proportion of rosemary provided in the aerosol-generating substrate can be determined by measuring the amount of the characteristic compound in the substrate and comparing this with the corresponding amount of the characteristic compound in pure rosemary material. The presence and amount of the characteristic compound can be carried out using any suitable technique that would be known to one skilled in the art.

[0157] In a suitable technique, a 250-milligram sample of aerosol-generating substrate is mixed with 5 milliliters of methanol and extracted by shaking, stirring for 5 minutes, and centrifugation (4500 g, 10°C, 5 minutes). An aliquot of the extract (300 microliters) is transferred to a silanized chromatography vial and diluted with methanol (600 microliters) and internal standard (ISTD) solution (100 microliters). The vial is closed and mixed for 5 minutes using an Eppendorf ThermoMixer (5°C, 2000 rpm). Samples from the resulting extract are analyzed by LC-HRAM-MS in a combination of full scan and data-dependent fragmentation modes for identification of characteristic compounds.

[0158] In an alternative embodiment, the non-tobacco plant particles include clove particles. As is known, cloves are effectively dried flower buds and stems of the clove tree (Myrtaceae) and are commonly used as a spice. Thus, each clove includes a calyx of sepals and a corolla of unopened petals that form a ball-like portion attached to the calyx. As used herein, the term "clove particles" encompasses particles derived from the clove tree buds and stems, and may include whole cloves, crushed or crushed cloves, or cloves that have been physically processed in another way to reduce particle size.

[0159] As a result of containing clove particles, the aerosol-generating substrate contains a specific proportion of clove "characteristic compounds." The characteristic compounds of cloves include, but are not limited to, eugenol acetate (Chemical Abstracts Service Registry Number 93-28-7), β-caryophyllene (Chemical Abstracts Service Registry Number 87-44-5), and eugenol. Specifically, the aerosol-generating substrate contains, on a dry weight basis, at least about 125 micrograms of eugenol per gram of substrate, at least about 125 micrograms of eugenol acetate per gram of substrate, and at least about 1 microgram of β-caryophyllene per gram of substrate.

[0160] The ratio of characteristic compounds in the aerosol-generating substrate is preferably such that the amount of eugenol per gram of substrate, on a dry weight basis, is no more than three times the amount of eugenol acetate per gram of substrate, and more preferably no more than two times the amount of eugenol acetate per gram of substrate. Alternatively, or additionally, the amount of eugenol per gram of substrate, on a dry weight basis, is at least 50 times the amount of β-caryophyllene per gram of substrate. These ratios of eugenol to eugenol acetate and β-caryophyllene are characteristic of the inclusion of clove particles. In contrast, in clove oil, the ratio of eugenol to eugenol acetate is significantly higher, while the ratio of eugenol to β-caryophyllene is significantly lower.

[0161] In an alternative embodiment, the non-tobacco plant particles comprise star anise particles. As used herein, the term "star anise particles" encompasses particles derived from the dried fruit of plants of the Illicium genus, preferably Illicium vulgare (Illicaceae).

[0162] As a result of containing star anise particles, the aerosol-generating substrate contains a specific proportion of star anise "characteristic compounds." Characteristic compounds specific to star anise include, but are not limited to, (E)-anethole, epoxyanethole, and benzyl isoeugenol ether. In particular, the aerosol-generating substrate contains, on a dry weight basis, at least about 70 micrograms of (E)-anethole per gram of substrate, at least about 50 micrograms of epoxyanethole per gram of substrate, and at least about 130 micrograms of benzyl isoeugenol ether per gram of substrate.

[0163] The ratio of characteristic compounds in the aerosol-generating substrate is preferably such that the amount of (E)-anethole per gram of substrate is not more than five times the amount of epoxyanethole per gram of substrate, and more preferably not more than three times the amount of epoxyanethole per gram of substrate, on a dry weight basis. This ratio of (E)-anethole to epoxyanethole is significantly lower than the corresponding ratio in star anise oil, which is characteristic of the inclusion of star anise particles in the aerosol-generating substrate. In contrast, star anise oil typically contains trace amounts of epoxyanethole and a relatively high proportion of (E)-anethole.

[0164] In an alternative embodiment, the non-tobacco plant particles comprise ginger particles. As used herein, the term "ginger particles" encompasses particles derived from the dried roots of plants of the genus Zingiber, preferably Zingiber officinale Roscoe (Zingiberaceae).

[0165] As a result of containing ginger particles, the aerosol-generating substrate contains a certain proportion of ginger "characteristic compounds." These characteristic compounds include, but are not limited to,

[10] -shogaol (1-(4-hydroxy-3-methoxyphenyl)tetradec-4-en-3-one, [8]-shogaol (1-(4-hydroxy-3-methoxyphenyl)dodec-4-en-3-one), [6]-shogaol (1-(4-hydroxy-3-methoxyphenyl)dec-4-en-3-one), [6]-gingerol ((S)-5-hydroxy-1-(4-hydroxy-3-methoxyphenyl)-3-decanone), and

[10] -gingerol ((S)-5-hydroxy-1-(4-hydroxy-3-methoxyphenyl)-3-decanone). -1-(4-hydroxy-3-methoxyphenyl)-3-tetradecanone). In particular, the aerosol-generating substrate comprises, on a dry weight basis, at least about 10 micrograms of [6]-gingerol per gram of substrate, at least about 90 micrograms of

[10] -gingerol per gram of substrate, at least about 70 micrograms of

[10] -shogaol per gram of substrate, at least about 30 micrograms of [8]-shogaol per gram of substrate, and at least about 80 micrograms of [6]-shogaol per gram of substrate.

[0166] The ratio of characteristic compounds in the aerosol-generating substrate is preferably at least 5 times the amount of [6]-shogaol per gram of substrate, and more preferably at least 7.5 times the amount of [6]-shogaol per gram of substrate, on a dry weight basis. In contrast, ginger oil typically contains levels of [6]-gingerol similar to or greater than the levels of [6]-shogaol.

[0167] In an alternative embodiment, the non-tobacco plant particles comprise eucalyptus particles. As used herein, the term "eucalyptus particles" encompasses particles derived from plants of the genus Eucalyptus, preferably particles derived from one or more of E. globulus, E. radiata, E. citriodora, and E. smithii, most preferably particles derived from E. globulus, such as crushed or powdered Eucalyptus leaf blades, and particles derived from crushed or powdered Eucalyptus leaf stems. Eucalyptus leaf particles consist solely of leaves of Eucalyptus plants. Eucalyptus stem particles consist solely of stems of Eucalyptus plants. The eucalyptus particles in the aerosol-generating substrate of the present invention may comprise eucalyptus leaf particles, eucalyptus stem particles, or both eucalyptus leaf particles and eucalyptus stem particles.

[0168] As a result of containing eucalyptus particles, the aerosol-generating substrate contains a specific proportion of eucalyptus "characteristic compounds." Eucalyptus-specific characteristic compounds include, but are not limited to, eucalyptin, 8-desmethyleucalyptin, and eucalyptol. In particular, the aerosol-generating substrate contains, on a dry weight basis, at least about 0.04 mg of eucalyptol per gram of substrate, at least about 0.2 mg of eucalyptin per gram of substrate, and at least about 0.2 mg of 8-desmethyleucalyptin per gram of substrate.

[0169] The ratio of the characteristic compounds in the aerosol-generating substrate is preferably such that the amount of eucalyptin per gram of substrate is at least three times the amount of eucalyptol per gram of substrate, and more preferably is at least four times the amount of eucalyptol per gram of substrate, on a dry weight basis. Alternatively, or additionally, the amount of 8-desmethyleucalyptin per gram of substrate is at least three times the amount of eucalyptol per gram of substrate, on a dry weight basis. The presence of higher levels of eucalyptin and 8-desmethyleucalyptin than eucalyptol is characteristic of the inclusion of eucalyptus particles. In contrast, eucalyptus oil contains levels of eucalyptol that are significantly higher than the levels of eucalyptin and 8-desmethyleucalyptin.

[0170] In embodiments in which the homogenized plant material includes tobacco particles, the aerosol-generating substrate contains a specific proportion of tobacco "characteristic compounds." Characteristic compounds generated from tobacco include, but are not limited to, cotinine and damascenone. In particular, the aerosol-generating substrate preferably contains at least about 60 micrograms of cotinine per gram of substrate and at least about 10 micrograms of damascenone per gram of substrate.

[0171] The composition of the homogenized plant material can advantageously be adjusted by blending desired amounts and types of different plant particles. This allows aerosol-generating substrates to be formed from a single homogenized plant material, if desired, without the need to combine or mix different blends, as is the case, for example, in the production of conventional cut fillers. Thus, the manufacture of aerosol-generating substrates can potentially be simplified.

[0172] The particulate plant material used in the aerosol-generating substrate of the present invention can be adapted to provide a desired particle size distribution. The particle size distribution herein is described as a D value, whereby the D value refers to the percentage of particles having a diameter equal to or less than a given D value. For example, in a D95 particle size distribution, 95 percent of the particles have a diameter equal to or less than a given D95 value, and 5 percent of the particles have a diameter greater than the given D95 value. Similarly, in a D5 particle size distribution, 5 percent of the particles have a diameter equal to or less than the D5 value, and 95 percent of the particles have a diameter greater than the given D5 value. Thus, in combination, the D5 and D95 ​​values ​​provide an indication of the particle size distribution of the particulate plant material.

[0173] The particulate plant material can have a D95 value of 50 microns or more to 400 microns or less. This means that the particulate plant material can be of a distribution represented by any D95 value within a given range, i.e., the D95 can be 50 microns, or the D95 can be 55 microns, etc., up to a D95 of 400 microns. By providing a D95 value within this range, the inclusion of relatively large plant particles within the homogenized plant material is avoided. This is desirable because aerosol generation from such large plant particles is likely to be relatively inefficient. Furthermore, the inclusion of large plant particles in the homogenized plant material can adversely affect the consistency of the material.

[0174] Preferably, the particulate plant material may have a D95 value of about 50 microns or more to about 350 microns or less, more preferably about 100 microns or more to about 300 microns or less. Both the particulate non-tobacco material and the particulate tobacco material may have a D95 value of about 50 microns or more to about 400 microns or less, preferably a D95 value of 100 microns or more to about 350 microns or less, and more preferably a D95 value of about 200 microns or more to about 300 microns or less.

[0175] Preferably, the particulate plant material may have a D5 value of about 10 microns or more to about 50 microns or less, and more preferably a D5 value of about 20 microns or more to about 40 microns or less. Providing a D5 value within this range avoids the inclusion of very small dust particles in the homogenized plant material, which may be desirable from a manufacturing standpoint.

[0176] Preferably, the maximum particle size of the particulate plant material is about 250 microns, more preferably about 200 microns.

[0177] In some embodiments, the particulate plant material may be intentionally ground to form particles having a desired particle size distribution. The use of intentionally ground tobacco advantageously improves the homogeneity of the particulate plant material and the consistency of the homogenized plant material.

[0178] The diameter of 100 percent of the particulate plant material may be about 500 microns or less, more preferably about 450 microns or less. The diameter of 100 percent of the particulate non-tobacco plant material and 100 percent of the particulate tobacco material may be about 500 microns or less, more preferably about 450 microns or less. The particle size range of the non-tobacco particles allows the particles to be combined with tobacco particles in existing cast leaf processes.

[0179] In addition to the above-mentioned components, the homogenized plant material may optionally further comprise one or more lipids to enhance the diffusion rate of the volatile components (e.g., aerosol formers, (E)-anethole, and nicotine), which lipids are included in the homogenized plant material during the processes described herein. Suitable lipids for inclusion in the homogenized plant material include, but are not limited to, medium chain triglycerides, cocoa butter, palm oil, kernel oil, mango oil, shea butter, soybean oil, cottonseed oil, coconut oil, hydrogenated coconut oil, candelilla wax, carnauba wax, shellac, sunflower wax, sunflower oil, rice bran, and Revel A, and combinations thereof.

[0180] Alternatively, or additionally, the homogenized plant material may further comprise a pH adjuster.

[0181] Preferably, the homogenized plant material is in the form of a solid or gel. However, in some embodiments, the homogenized material may be in the form of a solid that is not a gel. Preferably, the homogenized material is not in the form of a membrane.

[0182] The homogenized plant material may be provided in any suitable form. For example, the homogenized plant material may be in the form of one or more sheets. The term "sheet" as used herein with respect to the present invention describes a thin layer of material having a width and length that is significantly greater than its thickness.

[0183] Alternatively, or additionally, the homogenized plant material may be in the form of a plurality of pellets or granules.

[0184] Alternatively, or additionally, the homogenized plant material may be in a form that can fill a cartridge or shisha consumable, or be used in a shisha device. The present invention includes a cartridge or shisha device containing the homogenized plant material.

[0185] Alternatively, or additionally, the homogenized plant material may be in the form of a plurality of strands, pieces, or fragments. As used herein, the term "strand" describes an elongated element of material having a length substantially greater than its width and thickness. The term "strand" is deemed to encompass pieces, fragments, and any other homogenized plant material having a similar morphology. Strands of homogenized plant material may be formed from a sheet of homogenized plant material, for example, by cutting or chopping, or by other methods, such as extrusion methods.

[0186] In some embodiments, the strands may be formed in situ within the aerosol-generating substrate as a result of splitting or cracking of the sheet of homogenized plant material during the formation of the aerosol-generating substrate, e.g., as a result of crimping. The strands of homogenized plant material within the aerosol-generating substrate may be separated from one another. Alternatively, each strand of homogenized plant material within the aerosol-generating substrate may be at least partially connected to adjacent strand(s) along its length. For example, adjacent strands may be connected by one or more fibers. This may occur, for example, when strands are formed due to splitting of the sheet of homogenized plant material during the manufacture of the aerosol-generating substrate, as described above.

[0187] The aerosol-generating substrate is preferably in the form of one or more sheets of homogenized plant material. In various embodiments of the present invention, the one or more sheets of homogenized plant material may be produced by a casting process. The one or more sheets described herein may each individually have a thickness of 100 micrometers to 600 micrometers, preferably 150 micrometers to 300 micrometers, and most preferably 200 micrometers to 250 micrometers. Individual thickness refers to the thickness of an individual sheet, while combined thickness refers to the total thickness of all sheets comprising the aerosol-generating substrate. For example, if the aerosol-generating substrate is formed from two individual sheets, the combined thickness is the thickness of the two individual sheets, or the sum of the measured thicknesses of the two sheets, stacked within the aerosol-generating substrate.

[0188] One or more of the sheets described herein may each individually have a weight of about 100 g / m 2 ~about 300g / m 2 The sheet may have a basis weight of 1000 gram.

[0189] One or more of the sheets described herein may each individually have a density of about 0.3 g / cm 3 ~Approx. 1.3g / cm 3 and may have a density of about 0.7 g / cm 3~Approx. 1.0g / cm 3 It is preferred that the density of the granular material is 0.05 to 0.15.

[0190] The term "tensile strength" is used throughout this specification to refer to a measurement of the force required to stretch a sheet of homogenized plant material to breakage. More specifically, tensile strength is the maximum pulling force per unit width that the sheet material will withstand before breaking, measured in the machine direction or cross direction of the sheet material. It is expressed in units of Newtons per meter of material (N / m). Tests for measuring the tensile strength of sheet materials are well known. A suitable test is described in the 2014 edition of International Standard ISO 1924-2, entitled "Paper and paperboard - Test methods for tensile properties - Part 2: Constant rate of extension method."

[0191] The materials and equipment required to perform the test in accordance with ISO 1924-2 are a general-purpose tension / compression testing machine (Instron 5566 or equivalent), a 100 Newton tensile load cell (Instron or equivalent), two pneumatically operated grips, a 180 ± 0.25 mm long steel gauge block (approximately 10 mm wide and 3 mm thick), a double-blade strip cutter (size 15 ± 0.05 x approximately 250 mm, Adamel Lhomargy or equivalent), a scalpel, computer-operated acquisition software (Merlin or equivalent), and compressed air.

[0192] Samples are prepared by first conditioning a sheet of homogenized plant material at 22±2 degrees Celsius and 60±5% relative humidity for at least 24 hours prior to testing. Samples are then cut into approximately 250 x 15±0.1 millimeters in either the machine or cross direction with a double-blade strip cutter. The edges of the test specimens should be neatly cut so that no more than three test specimens are cut at the same time.

[0193] The tension / compression testing device is set up by installing a 100 Newton tension load cell, powering on the general-purpose tension / compression testing machine and computer, selecting a predefined measurement method in the software, and setting the test speed to 8 mm / min. The tension load cell is then calibrated and pneumatic grips are attached. The test distance between the pneumatic grips is adjusted to 180 ± 0.5 mm using a steel gauge block, and the distance and force are set to zero.

[0194] The test specimen is then placed straight and centered between the grips, avoiding finger contact with the area being tested. The upper grips are closed and the paper strip is suspended in the open lower grip. The force is set to zero. The paper strip is gently pulled down and then the lower grips are closed, with an initial force of 0.05-0.20 Newtons. As the upper grips move upward, a gradually increasing force is applied until the test specimen breaks. The same procedure is repeated with the remaining test specimens. The result is valid when the test specimen breaks when the grips move apart a distance of more than 10 millimeters. If not, the result is rejected and additional measurements are performed.

[0195] One or more sheets of homogenized plant material described herein may each individually have a tensile strength at the peak in the tolerance direction of 50 N / m to 400 N / m, or preferably 150 N / m to 350 N / m. Given that sheet thickness affects tensile strength and that batches of sheets may exhibit thickness variations, it may be desirable to normalize values ​​to a particular sheet thickness.

[0196] If the available test specimen of homogenized plant material is smaller than the sample described in the test according to ISO 1924-2, as described above, the test can be easily scaled down to accommodate the available size of the test specimen.

[0197] One or more sheets described herein may each individually have a tensile strength at the peak in the machine direction of 100 N / m to 800 N / m, or preferably 280 N / m to 620 N / m, normalized to a sheet thickness of 215 μm. The machine direction refers to the direction in which the sheet material is wound onto or unwound from the bobbin and fed into the machine, and the tolerance direction is perpendicular to the machine direction. These values ​​of tensile strength make the sheets and methods described herein particularly suitable for subsequent operations involving mechanical stress.

[0198] Providing a sheet having the above-defined levels of thickness, basis weight, and tensile strength advantageously optimizes the machinability of the sheet to form aerosol-generating substrates and ensures that damage, such as tearing, to the sheet is avoided during high speed processing of the sheet.

[0199] In embodiments of the present invention in which the aerosol-generating substrate comprises one or more sheets of homogenized plant material, the sheets are preferably in the form of an assembly of one or more sheets. As used herein, the term "assembly" means that the sheets of homogenized plant material are convoluted, folded, or otherwise compressed or contracted in a direction substantially transverse to the cylindrical axis of the plug or rod. As used herein, the term "longitudinal" refers to a direction corresponding to the major longitudinal axis of the aerosol-generating article, extending between the upstream and downstream ends of the aerosol-generating article. During use, air is drawn through the aerosol-generating article in the longitudinal direction. The term "transverse" refers to a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal axis. As used herein, the term "length" refers to the dimension of a component in the longitudinal direction, and the term "width" refers to the dimension of a component in the transverse direction. For example, in the case of a plug or rod having a circular cross-section, the maximum width corresponds to the diameter of the circle.

[0200] As used herein, the term "plug" refers to a generally cylindrical element having a substantially polygonal, circular, oval, or elliptical cross-section. As used herein, the term "rod" refers to a generally cylindrical element of a substantially polygonal cross-section, and preferably a circular, oval, or elliptical cross-section. A rod may have a length equal to or greater than the length of a plug. Typically, a rod has a length greater than the length of a plug. A rod may include one or more plugs, which are preferably aligned longitudinally.

[0201] As used herein, the terms "upstream" and "downstream" describe the relative location of an element (or portion of an element) of an aerosol-generating article with respect to the direction in which aerosol is transported through the aerosol-generating article during use. The downstream end of the airflow path is the end from which the aerosol is delivered to a user of the article.

[0202] One or more sheets of homogenized plant material may be gathered transversely to their longitudinal axes and surrounded by a wrapper to form a continuous rod or plug. The continuous rod may be separated into a plurality of individual rods or plugs. The wrapper may be a paper wrapper or a non-paper wrapper, as described in more detail below.

[0203] Alternatively, one or more sheets of homogenized plant material may be cut into strands, as mentioned above. In such embodiments, the aerosol-generating substrate comprises a plurality of strands of homogenized plant material. The strands may be used to form plugs. Typically, the width of such strands is at least about 0.2 mm, or at least about 0.5 mm. Typically, the width of such strands is preferably about 5 mm, or about 4 mm, or about 3 mm, or about 1.5 mm or less. For example, the width of the strands may be about 0.25 mm to about 5 mm, or about 0.25 mm to about 3 mm, or about 0.5 mm to about 1.5 mm.

[0204] The length of the strands is preferably greater than about 5 mm, for example, about 5 mm to about 15 mm, about 8 mm to about 12 mm, or about 12 mm. Preferably, the strands have substantially the same length as each other. The length of the strands may be determined by the manufacturing process by which the rod is cut into shorter plugs, and the length of the strands corresponds to the length of the plugs. The strands are fragile and may break, especially during transportation. In such cases, the length of some of the strands may be shorter than the length of the plugs.

[0205] The plurality of strands preferably extend substantially along the length of the aerosol-generating substrate, aligned with their longitudinal axes. Thus, the plurality of strands are preferably aligned substantially parallel to one another. The plurality of longitudinal strands of homogenized plant material are preferably substantially non-coiled.

[0206] The homogenized plant material strands preferably each have a mass-to-surface area ratio of at least about 0.02 milligrams per square millimeter, more preferably at least about 0.05 milligrams per square millimeter. Preferably, the homogenized plant material strands each have a mass-to-surface area ratio of no more than about 0.2 milligrams per square millimeter, more preferably no more than about 0.15 milligrams per square millimeter. The mass-to-surface area ratio is calculated by dividing the mass of the homogenized plant material strands in milligrams by the geometric surface area of ​​the homogenized plant material strands in square millimeters.

[0207] One or more sheets of homogenized plant material may be textured by crimping, embossing, or perforating. One or more sheets may be textured before being gathered or before being cut into strands. Preferably, one or more sheets of homogenized plant material are crimped prior to gathering so that the homogenized plant material can be in the form of a crimped sheet, more preferably a collection of crimped sheets. As used herein, the term "crimped sheet" refers to a sheet having a plurality of substantially parallel ridges or corrugations that are generally aligned along the longitudinal axis of the article.

[0208] In one embodiment, the aerosol-generating substrate may be in the form of a single plug of aerosol-generating substrate. Preferably, the plug of aerosol-generating substrate may comprise multiple strands of homogenized plant material. Most preferably, the plug of aerosol-generating substrate may comprise one or more sheets of homogenized plant material. Preferably, the one or more sheets of homogenized plant material may be crimped to have multiple ridges or corrugations substantially parallel to the cylindrical axis of the plug. This advantageously facilitates consolidating the crimped sheet of homogenized plant material to form a plug. Preferably, the one or more sheets of homogenized plant material may be consolidating. Of course, the crimped sheet of homogenized plant material may alternatively or additionally have multiple substantially parallel ridges or corrugations that form acute or obtuse angles with respect to the cylindrical axis of the plug. The sheet may be crimped to an extent that the integrity of the sheet is interrupted at the multiple parallel ridges or corrugations, causing separation of the material and resulting in the formation of fragments, strands, or pieces of homogenized plant material.

[0209] In another embodiment, the aerosol-generating substrate comprises a first plug containing a first homogenized plant material and a second plug containing a second homogenized plant material, wherein the first homogenized plant material and the second homogenized plant material are different from one another. Two or more plugs may be combined end-to-end in an abutting relationship to extend to form a rod. The two plugs may be longitudinally positioned with a gap between them, thereby creating a cavity within the rod. The plugs may be in any suitable arrangement within the rod.

[0210] The homogenized plant material used in the aerosol-generating substrate according to the present invention may be produced by a variety of methods, including papermaking, casting, dough reconstitution, extrusion or any other suitable process.

[0211] In certain preferred embodiments of the present invention, the homogenized plant material is in the form of cast leaf. The term "cast leaf" refers to a sheet product made by a casting process based on casting a slurry containing plant particles (e.g., non-tobacco particles, or a mixture of tobacco and non-tobacco particles) and a binder onto a support surface (such as a belt conveyor), drying the slurry, and removing the dried sheet from the support surface. An example of a casting or cast leaf process is described, for example, in US-A-5,724,998 for making cast leaf tobacco. In the cast leaf process, particulate plant material is mixed with a liquid component, typically water, to form a slurry. Other added components in the slurry may include fibers, binders, and aerosol formers. The particulate plant material may be agglomerated in the presence of a binder. The slurry is cast onto a support surface and dried to form a sheet of homogenized plant material.

[0212] In certain preferred embodiments, the homogenized plant material used in the articles according to the present invention is produced in a casting process. Homogenized plant material made by a casting process typically comprises agglomerated particulate plant material.

[0213] The cast leaf process advantageously preserves most of the flavor by retaining virtually all of the soluble fraction within the plant material, and also avoids the energy-intensive papermaking process.

[0214] The present invention further provides a method for producing an aerosol-generating substrate comprising homogenized plant material as defined above. In the first step of the method, a mixture is formed comprising particulate plant material, water, an aerosol former, a cellulose ether, and additional cellulose. A sheet is formed from the mixture, and the sheet is then dried. Preferably, the mixture is an aqueous mixture. As used herein, "dry weight" refers to the weight of the particulate non-water components relative to the total weight of all non-water components in the mixture, expressed as a percentage. The composition of an aqueous mixture may be referred to by "dry weight percent," which refers to the weight of the non-water components relative to the weight of the entire aqueous mixture, expressed as a percentage.

[0215] Preferably, the cellulose ether is dispersed in an aerosol former, and the dispersion of cellulose ether and aerosol former is added to a mixture of non-tobacco plant particles in water.

[0216] The mixture may be a slurry. As used herein, a "slurry" is a homogenized aqueous mixture having a relatively low dry weight. Preferably, the slurry used in the methods herein may have a dry weight of 5 to 60 percent.

[0217] Alternatively, the mixture may be a dough. As used herein, a "dough" is an aqueous mixture having a relatively high dry weight. Preferably, the dough used in the methods herein may have a dry weight of at least 60 percent, more preferably at least 70 percent.

[0218] Slurries containing greater than 30 percent dry weight and dough are preferred in certain embodiments of the process of the present invention.

[0219] The step of mixing the particulate plant material, water, and other components can be carried out by any suitable means. For low-viscosity mixtures, i.e., some slurries, mixing is preferably carried out using a high-energy mixer or a high-shear mixer. Such mixing breaks down and uniformly distributes the various phases of the mixture. For high-viscosity mixtures, i.e., some lumps, a kneading process can be used to uniformly distribute the various phases of the mixture.

[0220] The method according to the present invention may further comprise a step of vibrating the mixture to distribute the various components. Vibrating the mixture, i.e., for example, vibrating the tank or silo in which the homogenized mixture is located, may help homogenize the mixture, especially if the mixture is a low-viscosity mixture, i.e., some slurries. When vibration is performed in addition to mixing, shorter mixing times may be required to homogenize the mixture to the optimum target value for casting.

[0221] When the mixture is a slurry, the homogenized plant material web is preferably formed by a casting process that includes casting the slurry onto a support surface, such as a belt conveyor. The method for producing homogenized plant material includes drying the cast web to form a sheet. The cast web may be dried at room temperature or at an ambient temperature of at least about 60°C, more preferably at least about 80°C, for a suitable length of time. The cast web is preferably dried at an ambient temperature not exceeding 200°C, more preferably not exceeding about 160°C. For example, the cast web may be dried at a temperature of about 60°C to about 200°C, or about 80°C to about 160°C. The moisture content of the dried sheet is preferably about 5% to about 15%, based on the total weight of the sheet. The sheet may then be removed from the support surface after drying. The cast sheet has tensile strength such that it can be mechanically manipulated and wound onto or unwound from a bobbin without breakage or deformation.

[0222] If the mixture is a dough mass, the dough mass may be extruded into sheets, strands, or strips prior to drying the extruded mixture. Preferably, the dough mass can be extruded into a sheet. The extruded mixture may be dried at room temperature or at a temperature of at least about 60°C, more preferably at least about 80°C, for a suitable length of time. The cast web is preferably dried at ambient temperatures not exceeding 200°C, more preferably not exceeding about 160°C. For example, the cast web may be dried at temperatures between about 60°C and about 200°C, or between about 80°C and about 160°C. The moisture content of the extruded mixture after drying is preferably between about 5 percent and about 15 percent, based on the total weight of the sheet. As a result of the significantly lower moisture content relative to webs formed from slurries, sheets formed from dough mass require less drying time and / or lower drying temperatures.

[0223] After drying the sheet, the method may optionally include coating a nicotine salt onto the sheet, preferably together with an aerosol former, as described in the disclosure of WO-A-2015 / 082652.

[0224] After drying the sheet, the method according to the present invention may optionally include cutting the sheet into strands, pieces, or strips to form the aerosol-generating substrate described above. The strands, pieces, or strips may be joined together using suitable means to form a rod of aerosol-generating substrate. In the formed rod of aerosol-generating substrate, the strands, pieces, or strips may be substantially aligned, for example, along the longitudinal axis of the rod. Alternatively, the strands, pieces, or strips may be randomly oriented within the rod.

[0225] In certain preferred embodiments, the method further comprises the step of crimping the sheet, which may facilitate assembling the sheet to form a rod, as described below. The "crimping" step produces a sheet having a plurality of ridges or corrugations.

[0226] In certain preferred embodiments, the method further comprises the step of assembling the sheet to form a rod. The term "associated" refers to a sheet that has been rolled, folded, or otherwise compressed or contracted substantially transversely to the longitudinal axis of the aerosol-generating substrate. The step of "associating" the sheet may be carried out by any suitable means that provides the required transverse compression of the sheet.

[0227] The method according to the present invention may optionally further comprise the step of winding the sheet onto a bobbin after the drying step.

[0228] Other known processes which may be applied to the production of homogenized plant material are, for example, dough reconstitution processes of the type described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,894,544, and extrusion processes of the type described in GB-A-983,928. Generally, the density of homogenized plant material produced by extrusion and dough reconstitution processes is greater than the density of homogenized plant material produced by casting processes.

[0229] Preferably, the aerosol-generating substrate of an aerosol-generating article according to the present invention comprises at least about 200 mg of homogenized plant material, more preferably at least about 250 mg of homogenized plant material, more preferably at least about 300 mg of homogenized plant material.

[0230] The aerosol-generating article according to the present invention comprises a rod containing a substrate within one or more plugs. The rod of aerosol-generating substrate may have a length of from about 5 mm to about 120 mm. For example, the rod may preferably have a length of from about 10 to about 45 mm, more preferably from about 10 mm to 15 mm, and most preferably about 12 mm.

[0231] In alternative embodiments, the rod preferably has a length of about 30 mm to about 45 mm, or about 33 mm to about 41 mm. When the rod is formed from a single plug of aerosol-generating substrate, the plug has the same length as the rod.

[0232] The rods of aerosol-generating substrates may have an outer diameter of about 5 mm to about 10 mm depending on their intended use. For example, in some embodiments, the rods may have an outer diameter of about 5.5 mm to about 8 mm, or about 6.5 mm to about 8 mm. The "outer diameter" of the rod of aerosol-generating substrate corresponds to the diameter of the rod including any wrapper.

[0233] The rod of aerosol-generating substrate in an aerosol-generating article according to the present invention is preferably surrounded along at least a portion of its length by one or more wrappers. The one or more wrappers may comprise a paper wrapper, a non-paper wrapper, or both. Suitable paper wrappers for use in certain embodiments of the present invention are known in the art and include, but are not limited to, cigarette paper and filter plug wrap. Suitable non-paper wrappers for use in certain embodiments of the present invention are known in the art and include, but are not limited to, sheets of homogenized tobacco material.

[0234] In certain embodiments of the present invention, the aerosol-generating substrate is surrounded along at least a portion of its length by a thermally conductive sheet material, such as a metal foil, e.g., aluminum foil or metalized paper. The metal foil or metalized paper serves the purpose of rapidly conducting heat throughout the aerosol-generating substrate. Additionally, the metal foil or metalized paper may serve to prevent the aerosol-generating substrate from igniting if a consumer attempts to light it. Furthermore, during use, the metal foil or metalized paper may prevent odors generated as the outer wrapper heats from entering the aerosol generated from the aerosol-generating substrate. For example, this may be problematic for aerosol-generating articles having an aerosol-generating substrate that is externally heated during use to generate the aerosol. Alternatively, or additionally, the metalized wrapper may be used to facilitate detection or recognition of the aerosol-generating article when inserted into an aerosol-generating device during use. The metal foil or metalized paper may contain metal particles, such as iron particles.

[0235] The one or more wrappers surrounding the aerosol-generating substrate preferably have an overall thickness of from about 0.1 mm to about 0.9 mm.

[0236] The inner diameter of the rod of the aerosol-generating substrate is preferably from about 3 mm to about 9.5 mm, more preferably from about 4 mm to about 7.5 mm, more preferably from about 5 mm to about 7.5 mm. "Inner diameter" corresponds to the diameter of the rod of the aerosol-generating substrate, not including the thickness of the wrapper, but measured with the wrapper still in place.

[0237] Aerosol-generating articles according to the present invention also include, but are not limited to, cartridges or shisha consumables.

[0238] The aerosol-generating article according to the present invention may optionally include a support element comprising at least one hollow tube immediately downstream of the aerosol-generating substrate. One function of the tube is to position the aerosol-generating substrate toward the distal end of the aerosol-generating article so that it can contact the heating element. The tube acts to prevent the aerosol-generating substrate from being forced along the aerosol-generating article toward other downstream elements when the heating element is inserted into the aerosol-generating substrate. The tube also acts as a spacer element to separate the downstream elements from the aerosol-generating substrate. The tube may be made of any material, such as cellulose acetate, polymer, cardboard, or paper.

[0239] Alternatively or additionally, the aerosol-generating article according to the present invention optionally includes an aerosol cooling element downstream of the aerosol-generating substrate and immediately downstream of the hollow tube forming the support element. During use, the aerosol formed by the volatile compounds emitted from the aerosol-generating substrate passes through and is cooled by the aerosol cooling element before being inhaled by the user. The low temperature allows the vapor to condense into an aerosol. The spacer or aerosol cooling element may be a hollow tube, such as a hollow cellulose acetate tube or cardboard tube, which may resemble the support element immediately downstream of the aerosol-generating substrate. The aerosol cooling element may be a hollow tube with an outer diameter equal to the cellulose acetate tube of the hollow tube of the support element, but with a smaller or larger inner diameter.

[0240] In one embodiment, the paper-wrapped aerosol cooling element comprises one or more longitudinal channels made of any suitable material, such as metal foil, foil-laminated paper, a polymeric sheet preferably made of a synthetic polymer, and substantially non-porous paper or cardboard. In some embodiments, the paper-wrapped aerosol cooling element may include one or more sheets made of a material selected from the group consisting of polyethylene (PE), polypropylene (PP), polyvinyl chloride (PVC), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polylactic acid (PLA), cellulose acetate (CA), paper laminated with a polymeric sheet, and aluminum foil. Alternatively, the aerosol cooling element may be made of woven fibers or non-woven filaments of a material selected from the group consisting of polyethylene (PE), polypropylene (PP), polyvinyl chloride (PVC), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polylactic acid (PLA), and cellulose acetate (CA). In a preferred embodiment, the aerosol cooling element is a crimped and aggregated polylactic acid sheet wound within filter paper. In another preferred embodiment, the aerosol cooling element contains longitudinal channels and is made of woven filaments of a synthetic polymer, such as polylactic acid filaments, wrapped in paper.

[0241] One or more additional hollow tubes may be provided downstream of the aerosol cooling element.

[0242] The aerosol-generating article according to the present invention may further include a filter or mouthpiece downstream of the aerosol-generating substrate and, if present, the support element and aerosol-cooling element. The filter may include one or more filtering materials for removing particulate components, gaseous components, or a combination thereof. Suitable filtering materials are known in the art and include, but are not limited to, fibrous filtering materials such as cellulose acetate tow and paper; adsorbents such as activated alumina, zeolites, molecular sieves, and silica gel; biodegradable polymers, including polylactic acid (PLA), Matabi®, hydrophobic viscose fibers, and bioplastics; and combinations thereof. The filter may be located at the downstream end of the aerosol-generating article. The filter may be a cellulose acetate filter plug. In one embodiment, the filter is approximately 7 mm long, but may also have a length of approximately 5 mm to approximately 10 mm.

[0243] Aerosol-generating articles according to the present invention may include an oral cavity at the downstream end of the article. The oral cavity may be defined by one or more wrappers extending downstream from the filter or mouthpiece. Alternatively, the oral cavity may be defined by a separate tubular element provided at the downstream end of the aerosol-generating article.

[0244] The aerosol-generating article according to the present invention preferably further comprises a ventilation zone provided at a location along the aerosol-generating article, for example, the aerosol-generating article may be provided at a location along a hollow tube provided downstream of the aerosol-generating substrate.

[0245] Aerosol-generating articles according to the present invention may optionally further comprise an upstream element at the upstream end of the aerosol-generating substrate. The upstream element may be a porous plug element, such as a plug of fibrous filtration material such as cellulose acetate.

[0246] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the aerosol-generating article comprises an aerosol-generating substrate, at least one hollow tube downstream of the aerosol-generating substrate, and a filter downstream of the at least one hollow tube. Optionally, the aerosol-generating article further comprises an oral end cavity at the downstream end of the filter. Optionally, the aerosol-generating article further comprises an upstream element at the upstream end of the aerosol-generating substrate. Preferably, a ventilation zone is provided at a location along at least one hollow tube.

[0247] In a particularly preferred embodiment having this arrangement, the aerosol-generating article comprises an aerosol-generating substrate, an upstream element at the upstream end of the aerosol-generating substrate, a support element downstream of the aerosol-generating substrate, an aerosol-cooling element downstream of the support element, and a filter downstream of the aerosol-cooling element. Both the support element and the aerosol-cooling element are preferably in the form of hollow tubes. The aerosol-generating substrate preferably comprises an elongated susceptor element extending longitudinally through the substrate.

[0248] In one particularly preferred embodiment, the aerosol-generating substrate has a length of about 33 mm and an outer diameter of about 5.5 mm to 6.7 mm, and the aerosol-generating substrate contains about 340 mg of homogenized plant material in the form of a plurality of strands, the homogenized plant material containing about 14 weight percent glycerol on a dry weight basis. In this embodiment, the aerosol-generating article has an overall length of about 74 mm and includes a cellulose acetate tow filter having a length of about 10 mm and an oral end cavity defined by a hollow tube having a length of about 6 to 7 mm. The aerosol-generating article includes a hollow tube downstream of the aerosol-generating substrate, the hollow tube having a length of about 25 mm, and providing a ventilation zone.

[0249] Aerosol-generating articles according to the present invention may have an overall length of at least about 30 mm, or at least about 40 mm. The overall length of the aerosol-generating article may be less than 90 mm, or less than about 80 mm.

[0250] In one embodiment, the aerosol-generating article has an overall length of about 40 mm to about 50 mm, preferably about 45 mm. In another embodiment, the aerosol-generating article has an overall length of about 70 mm to about 90 mm, preferably about 80 mm to about 85 mm. In another embodiment, the aerosol-generating article has an overall length of about 72 mm to about 76 mm, preferably about 74 mm.

[0251] The aerosol-generating article may have an outer diameter of about 5 mm to about 8 mm, preferably about 6 mm to about 8 mm. In one embodiment, the aerosol-generating article has an outer diameter of about 7.3 mm.

[0252] The aerosol-generating article according to the present invention may further comprise one or more aerosol modification elements. The aerosol modification element may provide an aerosol modifier. As used herein, the term aerosol modifier is used to describe any substance that, in use, modifies one or more characteristics or properties of the aerosol that passes through the filter. Suitable aerosol modifiers include, but are not limited to, agents that impart a flavor or aroma to the aerosol that passes through the filter in use, or agents that remove flavor from the aerosol that passes through the filter in use.

[0253] The aerosol modifier may be one or more of water or liquid flavorings. The water or moisture may modify the sensory experience of the user, for example, by moistening the generated aerosol, which may provide a cooling effect to the aerosol and reduce the perception of harshness experienced by the user. The aerosol modifier may be in the form of a flavor delivery element for delivering one or more liquid flavorings. Alternatively, the liquid flavorings may be added directly to the homogenized rosemary material, for example, by adding flavoring to the slurry or ingredients during the production of the homogenized rosemary material, or by spraying the liquid flavoring on the surface of the homogenized rosemary material.

[0254] The one or more liquid flavoring agents may include any flavor compound or plant extract suitable for releasably disposing in liquid form within the flavor delivery element to enhance the flavor of the aerosol generated during use of the aerosol-generating article. Liquid or solid flavoring agents may also be disposed directly on the material forming the filter, such as cellulose acetate tow. Suitable flavors or flavoring agents include, but are not limited to, menthol, mint (such as peppermint and Dutch spice), chocolate, licorice, citrus and other fruit flavors, gamma octalactone, vanillin, ethyl vanillin, breath freshening flavors, spice flavors (such as cinnamon), methyl salicylate, linalool, eugenol, bergamot oil, geranium oil, lemon oil, cannabis oil, and tobacco flavor. Other suitable flavors may include flavor compounds selected from the group consisting of acids, alcohols, esters, aldehydes, ketones, pyrazines, combinations or blends thereof, and the like.

[0255] In certain embodiments of the present invention, the aerosol modifier may be an essential oil derived from one or more plants.

[0256] The aerosol modifier may be an adsorbent material, such as activated carbon, that removes certain components of the aerosol passing through the filter, thereby altering the taste and aroma of the aerosol.

[0257] The one or more aerosol modifying elements may be located downstream of or within the aerosol-generating substrate. The aerosol-generating substrate may include homogenized plant material and aerosol modifying elements. In various embodiments, the aerosol modifying elements may be positioned adjacent to the homogenized plant material or embedded in the homogenized plant material. Typically, the aerosol modifying elements may be located downstream of the aerosol-generating substrate, most typically within an aerosol cooling element, a filter of the aerosol-generating article, e.g., within a filter plug, or within a cavity, preferably within a cavity between filter plugs. The one or more aerosol modifying elements may be in the form of one or more of threads, capsules, microcapsules, beads, or polymeric matrix materials, or combinations thereof.

[0258] Where the aerosol modifying element is in the form of a thread, the thread may be formed from paper, such as a filter plug wrap, and the thread may be loaded with at least one aerosol modifier and located within the body of the filter, as described in WO-A-2011 / 060961. Other materials that can be used to form the thread include cellulose acetate and cotton.

[0259] Where the aerosol modifying element is in the form of a capsule, the capsule may be a frangible capsule located within a filter, the inner core of the capsule containing the aerosol modifier that can be released upon rupture of the outer shell of the capsule when the filter is subjected to an external force, as described in WO-A-2007 / 010407, WO-A-2013 / 068100 and WO-A-2014 / 154887. The capsule may be located within a filter plug or within a cavity, preferably within a cavity between filter plugs.

[0260] When the aerosol modifying element is in the form of a polymeric matrix material, the polymeric matrix material releases the flavorant when the aerosol-generating article is heated, such as when the polymeric matrix is ​​heated above the melting point of the polymeric matrix material, as described in WO-A-2013 / 034488. Typically, such a polymeric matrix material may be located within beads within the aerosol-generating substrate. Alternatively, or additionally, the flavorant may be confined within a domain of the polymeric matrix material and releasable from the polymeric matrix material upon compression of the polymeric matrix material. Preferably, the flavorant is released upon compression of the polymeric matrix material at a force of about 15 Newtons. Such a flavor modifying element may provide sustained release of the liquid flavorant over a force range of at least 5 Newtons, such as 5N to 20N, as described in WO 2013 / 068304. Typically, such a polymeric matrix material may be located within beads within a filter.

[0261] The aerosol-generating article may comprise a combustible heat source and an aerosol-generating substrate downstream of the combustible heat source, the aerosol-generating substrate being as described above in relation to the first aspect of the invention.

[0262] For example, the substrates described herein may be used in heated aerosol-generating articles of the type disclosed in WO-A-2009 / 022232, which comprise a combustible carbon-based heat source, an aerosol-generating substrate downstream of the combustible heat source, and a thermally conductive element surrounding and in contact with a rear portion of the combustible carbon-based heat source and an adjacent front portion of the aerosol-generating substrate, although it will be appreciated that the substrates described herein may also be used in heated aerosol-generating articles with combustible heat sources having other configurations.

[0263] The present invention provides an aerosol-generating system comprising an aerosol-generating device including a heating element and an aerosol-generating article for use in the aerosol-generating device, the aerosol-generating article comprising the aerosol-generating substrate described above.

[0264] In a preferred embodiment, the aerosol-generating substrates described herein may be used in heated aerosol-generating articles for use in electrically operated aerosol-generating systems in which the aerosol-generating substrate of the heated aerosol-generating article is heated by an electrical heat source.

[0265] For example, the aerosol-generating substrates described herein may be used in heated aerosol-generating articles of the type disclosed in EP-A-0 822 760.

[0266] The heating element of such an aerosol-generating device may be in any suitable form that conducts heat. Heating of the aerosol-generating substrate may be achieved internally, externally, or both. Preferably, the heating element may be a heater blade or pin adapted to be inserted into the substrate so that the substrate is heated from the inside. Alternatively, the heating element may partially or completely surround the substrate and heat the substrate circumferentially from the outside.

[0267] The aerosol-generating system may be an electrically operated aerosol-generating system equipped with an induction heating device. The induction heating device typically includes an induction source configured to be coupled to the susceptor, which may be provided externally or internally to the aerosol-generating substrate. The induction source generates an alternating electromagnetic field, which induces magnetization or eddy currents in the susceptor. The susceptor may heat as a result of hysteresis losses or induced eddy currents, which heat the susceptor through ohmic or resistive heating.

[0268] The electrically operated aerosol-generating system including an induction heating device also includes an aerosol-generating article having an aerosol-generating substrate and a susceptor in thermal proximity to the aerosol-generating substrate. Typically, the susceptor is in direct contact with the aerosol-generating substrate, and heat is transferred from the susceptor to the aerosol-generating substrate primarily by conduction. Examples of electrically operated aerosol-generating systems including an induction heating device and an aerosol-generating article having a susceptor are described in WO-A1-95 / 27411 and WO-A1-2015 / 177255.

[0269] The susceptor may be a plurality of susceptor particles that can be deposited on or embedded within the aerosol-generating substrate. When the aerosol-generating substrate is in the form of one or more sheets, the plurality of susceptor particles may be deposited on or embedded within the one or more sheets. For example, the susceptor particles may be fixed by the substrate in sheet form and remain in their initial position. Preferably, the susceptor particles can be uniformly distributed throughout the homogenized plant material on the aerosol-generating substrate. Due to the particulate nature of the susceptor, heat is generated according to the distribution of the particles within the homogenized plant material sheet on the substrate. Alternatively, susceptors in the form of one or more sheets, strips, pieces, or rods may also be placed next to the homogenized plant material or used as embedded in the homogenized plant material. In one embodiment, the aerosol-generating substrate includes one or more susceptor strips. For example, a rod of the aerosol-generating substrate may include elongated susceptor elements extending longitudinally through the substrate. In another embodiment, the susceptor is present in an aerosol generating device.

[0270] The susceptor may have a heat loss greater than 0.05 Joules / kilogram, preferably greater than 0.1 Joules / kilogram. Heat loss is the capacity of the susceptor to transfer heat to surrounding materials. Because the susceptor particles are preferably uniformly distributed within the aerosol-generating substrate, uniform heat loss from the susceptor particles is achieved, thereby generating a uniform heat distribution within the aerosol-generating substrate and resulting in a uniform temperature distribution within the aerosol-generating article. It has been found that a specific minimum heat loss of 0.05 Joules / kilogram in the susceptor particles allows the aerosol-generating substrate to be heated to a substantially uniform temperature to provide aerosol generation. In such embodiments, the average temperature reached within the aerosol-generating substrate is preferably between about 200°C and about 240°C.

[0271] Reducing the risk of overheating the aerosol-generating substrate can be achieved by using a susceptor material with a Curie temperature, which allows the heating process due to hysteresis losses to reach only a certain maximum temperature. The susceptor may have a Curie temperature between about 200°C and about 450°C, preferably between about 240°C and about 400°C, for example, about 280°C. When the susceptor material reaches its Curie temperature, it changes magnetic properties. At the Curie temperature, the susceptor material changes from a ferromagnetic to a paramagnetic phase. At this point, heating due to energy losses caused by the orientation of the ferromagnetic domains ceases. Thereafter, further heating is primarily based on the formation of eddy currents, so that the heating process is automatically reduced once the Curie temperature of the susceptor material is reached. The susceptor material and its Curie temperature are preferably matched to the composition of the aerosol-generating substrate to achieve optimal temperature and temperature distribution within the aerosol-generating substrate for optimal aerosol generation.

[0272] In some preferred embodiments of the aerosol-generating article according to the present invention, the susceptor is made of ferrite. Ferrite is a ferromagnetic material with high magnetic permeability and is particularly suitable as a susceptor material. The primary component of ferrite is iron. Other metallic components (e.g., zinc, nickel, manganese) or non-metallic components (e.g., silicon) may be present in varying amounts. Ferrite is a relatively inexpensive, commercially available material. Ferrite is available in particulate form within the size range of the particles used in the particulate plant material forming the homogenized plant material according to the present invention. The particles are preferably fully sintered ferrite powders, such as FP160, FP215, or FP350 from PPT (Indiana, USA).

[0273] In certain embodiments of the present invention, an aerosol-generating system comprises an aerosol-generating article including an aerosol-generating substrate as defined above, a source of aerosol former, and a means for vaporizing the aerosol former, preferably a heating element as described above. The source of aerosol former may be a refillable or replaceable reservoir present on the aerosol-generating device. The reservoir is physically separate from the aerosol-generating article, and the generated vapor is directed through the aerosol-generating article. The vapor contacts the aerosol-generating substrate, which releases volatile compounds, such as nicotine and flavorants, in the particulate plant material to form an aerosol. Optionally, to assist in the vaporization of the compounds in the aerosol-generating substrate, the aerosol-generating system may further comprise a heating element, preferably coordinated with the aerosol former, for heating the aerosol-generating substrate. However, in certain embodiments, the heating element used to heat the aerosol-generating article is separate from the heater that heats the aerosol former.

[0274] As defined above, the present invention further provides an aerosol produced upon heating of an aerosol-generating substrate, the aerosol comprising specific amounts and ratios of characteristic compounds derived from rosemary particles as defined above.

[0275] Specific embodiments will now be further described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0276] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 illustrates a first embodiment of the substrate of the aerosol-generating article described herein. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 illustrates an aerosol generating system comprising an aerosol generating device including an aerosol-generating article and an electric heating element. [Figure 3] FIG. 3 illustrates an aerosol generating system comprising an aerosol generating device including an aerosol-generating article and a combustible heating element. [Figure 4] 4a and 4b illustrate a second embodiment of the substrate of the aerosol-generating article described herein. [Figure 5] FIG. 5 illustrates a third embodiment of the substrate of the aerosol-generating article described herein. [Figure 6] Figure 6 is a cross-sectional view of a filter 1050 further including an aerosol modification element. Figure 6a illustrates an aerosol modification element in the form of a spherical capsule or bead within a filter plug. Figure 6b illustrates an aerosol modification element in the form of a thread within a filter plug. Figure 6c illustrates an aerosol modification element in the form of a spherical capsule within a cavity within the filter. [Figure 7] FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of a plug of an aerosol-generating substrate 1020 further including an elongated susceptor element. [Figure 8] FIG. 8 illustrates the experimental setup for collecting aerosol samples that are analyzed to measure characteristic compounds. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0277] FIG. 1 illustrates a heated aerosol-generating article 1000 including a substrate as described herein. The article 1000 comprises four elements: an aerosol-generating substrate 1020, a hollow cellulose acetate tube 1030, a spacer element 1040, and a mouthpiece filter 1050. These four elements are sequentially arranged in a coaxial configuration and assembled with cigarette paper 1060 to form the aerosol-generating article 1000. The article 1000 has a mouth end 1012, which a user inserts into the mouth during use, and a distal end 1013 at the opposite end of the article from the mouth end 1012. The embodiment of the aerosol-generating article illustrated in FIG. 1 is particularly suitable for use in an electrically operated aerosol-generating device that includes a heater for heating the aerosol-generating substrate.

[0278] When assembled, article 1000 is approximately 45 millimeters long, has an outer diameter of approximately 7.2 millimeters, and an inner diameter of approximately 6.9 millimeters.

[0279] The aerosol-generating substrate 1020 comprises a plug formed from a sheet of homogenized plant material containing rosemary particles, either alone or in combination with tobacco particles.

[0280] Some examples of suitable homogenized plant material for forming the aerosol-generating substrate 1020 are shown in Table 1 below (see Samples B-D). The sheets are gathered, crimped, and wrapped with filter paper (not shown) to form a plug. The sheets contain additives, including glycerin as an aerosol former.

[0281] The aerosol-generating article 1000 illustrated in Figure 1 is designed to be engaged with an aerosol-generating device for consumption. Such an aerosol-generating device includes means for heating the aerosol-generating substrate 1020 to a sufficient temperature to form an aerosol. Generally, the aerosol-generating device may include a heating element surrounding the aerosol-generating article 1000 adjacent to the aerosol-generating substrate 1020, or a heating element inserted into the aerosol-generating substrate 1020.

[0282] Upon engaging the aerosol-generating device, a user draws on the mouth end 1012 of the smoking article 1000, causing the aerosol-generating substrate 1020 to heat to a temperature of approximately 375 degrees Celsius. At this temperature, volatile compounds are released from the aerosol-generating substrate 1020. These compounds condense to form an aerosol. The aerosol is drawn through the filter 1050 and into the user's mouth.

[0283] Figure 2 illustrates a portion of an electrically operated aerosol-generating system 2000 utilizing a heating blade 2100 to heat the aerosol-generating substrate 1020 of an aerosol-generating article 1000. The heating blade is mounted within the aerosol-article-receiving chamber of an electrically operated aerosol-generating device 2010. The aerosol-generating device defines a plurality of air holes 2050 for allowing air to flow through the aerosol-generating article 1000. The air flow is indicated by arrows in Figure 2. The aerosol-generating device includes a power source and electronic components, which are not shown in Figure 2. The aerosol-generating article 1000 of Figure 2 is as described with respect to Figure 1.

[0284] In an alternative configuration shown in Figure 3, an aerosol-generating system is shown with a combustible heating element. While item 1000 of Figure 1 is intended to be consumed in conjunction with an aerosol-generating device, item 1001 of Figure 3 includes a combustible heat source 1080 that can be ignited to transfer heat to an aerosol-generating substrate 1020 to form an inhalable aerosol. Combustible heat source 80 can be a charcoal element assembled adjacent to the aerosol-generating substrate at the distal end 13 of rod 11. Elements that are essentially the same as those in Figure 1 are numbered the same.

[0285] 4a and 4b illustrate a second embodiment of a heated aerosol-generating article 4000a, 4000b. The aerosol-generating substrate 4020a, 4020b comprises a first downstream plug 4021 formed from particulate plant material including rosemary particles and a second upstream plug 4022 formed from particulate plant material primarily including tobacco particles. A suitable homogenized plant material for use in the first downstream plug is shown in Table 1 below as one of Samples B-D. A suitable homogenized plant material for use in the second upstream plug is shown in Table 1 below as Sample A. Sample A contains only tobacco particles and is included for comparison purposes only.

[0286] In each plug, the homogenized plant material is in the form of a sheet, which is crimped and rolled onto filter paper (not shown). Both sheets contain an additive, including glycerol as an aerosol former. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 4a, the plugs are joined end-to-end in an abutting relationship to form a rod, each approximately 6 mm long. In a more preferred embodiment (not shown), the second plug is preferably longer than the first plug, e.g., preferably 2 mm longer, more preferably 3 mm longer, such that the second plug is 7 or 7.5 mm long, while the first plug is 5 or 4.5 mm long to provide the desired ratio of tobacco particles to rosemary particles in the substrate. In FIG. 4b, the cellulose acetate tube support element 1030 is omitted.

[0287] 1 are particularly suitable for use in the electrically operated aerosol generating system 2000 with a heater shown in FIG. 2. Elements that are essentially the same as those in FIG. 1 are numbered the same. It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that a combustible heat source (not shown) may alternatively be used in the second embodiment in place of an electric heating element in a configuration similar to that including combustible heat source 1080 of item 1001 in FIG. 3.

[0288] Figure 5 illustrates a third embodiment of a heated aerosol-generating article 5000. The aerosol-generating substrate 5020 comprises a rod formed from a first sheet of homogenized plant material formed from particulate plant material including a proportion of rosemary particles, and a second sheet of homogenized plant material comprising primarily cast leaf tobacco.

[0289] A suitable homogenized plant material for use as the first sheet is identified below in Table 1 as one of Samples B through E. A suitable homogenized plant material for use as the second sheet is identified below in Table 1 as Sample A. Sample A contains only tobacco particles and is included for comparison purposes only.

[0290] A second sheet is placed on top of the first sheet, and the combined sheets are crimped, assembled, and at least partially wrapped with filter paper (not shown) to form a plug that is a portion of a rod. Both sheets contain an additive, including glycerol, as an aerosol former. Article 5000, similar to article 1000 of FIG. 1, is particularly suitable for use in electrically operated aerosol generating system 2000 with a heater, as shown in FIG. 2. Elements essentially identical to those in FIG. 1 are numbered the same. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that a combustible heat source (not shown) could alternatively be used in the third embodiment in place of an electric heating element, in a configuration similar to that including combustible heat source 1080 of article 1001 of FIG. 3.

[0291] 6 is a cross-sectional view of a filter 1050 further comprising an aerosol-modifying element. In FIG. 6a, filter 1050 further comprises an aerosol-modifying element in the form of a spherical capsule or bead 605.

[0292] In the embodiment of Figure 6a, capsules or beads 605 are embedded within filter segment 601 and are surrounded on all sides by filter material 603. In this embodiment, the capsule comprises an outer shell and an inner core containing a liquid flavorant. The liquid flavorant is for flavoring the aerosol during use of the aerosol-generating article provided with the filter. The capsule 605 releases at least a portion of the liquid flavorant when the filter is subjected to an external force, for example, by squeezing by the consumer. In the illustrated embodiment, the capsule is generally spherical and has a substantially continuous outer shell containing the liquid flavorant.

[0293] In the embodiment of Figure 6b, the filter segment 601 comprises a plug of filter material 603 and a central flavor-bearing thread 607 extending axially through the plug of filter material 603 parallel to the longitudinal axis of the filter 1050. The central flavor-bearing thread 607 is substantially the same length as the plug of filter material 603 such that the ends of the central flavor-bearing thread 607 are visible at the ends of the filter segment 601. In Figure 6b, the filter material 603 is cellulose acetate tow. The central flavor-bearing thread 607 is formed from twisted filter plug wrap and is loaded with an aerosol modifier.

[0294] In the embodiment of Figure 6c, filter segment 601 comprises two or more plugs 603, 603' of filter material. The plugs of filter material 603, 603' are formed from cellulose acetate so as to be capable of filtering the aerosol provided by the aerosol-generating article. A wrapper 609 is wrapped around and connects the filter plugs 603, 603'. Within cavity 611 is capsule 605, which includes an outer shell and an inner core, the inner core containing a liquid flavorant. Alternatively, the capsule may be similar to the embodiment of Figure 6a.

[0295] 7 is a cross-sectional view of an aerosol-generating substrate 1020 further comprising elongated susceptor strips 705. The aerosol-generating substrate 1020 includes a plug 703 formed from a sheet of homogenized plant material including tobacco particles and rosemary particles. The elongated susceptor strips 705 are embedded within the plug 703 and extend longitudinally between the upstream and downstream ends of the plug 703. During use, the elongated susceptor strips 705 heat the homogenized plant material by induction heating, as described above. [Example]

[0296] Example 1 As described above with reference to the figures, different samples of homogenized plant material for use in aerosol-generating substrates according to the invention were prepared from aqueous slurries having the compositions shown in Table 1. Samples B-E contain rosemary particles according to preferred embodiments of the invention. In Samples B-D, rosemary particles are combined with tobacco particles. Sample A contains only tobacco particles. Sample E contains only rosemary particles.

[0297] The particulate plant material in all samples A–E accounted for 65 percent of the dry weight of the homogenized plant material, with glycerol, CMC, cellulose powder, and cellulose reinforcing fibers accounting for the remaining 35 percent of the dry weight of the homogenized plant material.

[0298] In the following tables, %DWB refers to "dry weight basis", in this case the weight percent calculated relative to the dry weight of the homogenized plant material. Rosemary powder was formed from the leaves of Rosamarinus officinalis grown in Spain and ground to a final D95=133 microns by triple impact milling. The rosemary powder was sieved to remove particles greater than 200 microns. More specifically, Sample E was Rosemary: 17.78 kg / 100 kg of slurry Glycerol: 4.50 kg / 100 kg of slurry CMC: 1.25 kg / 100 kg of slurry Cellulose powder: 2.50 kg / 100 kg of slurry Cellulose fiber: 1.00 kg / 100 kg of slurry Prepared from an aqueous slurry containing water: 72.97 kg of slurry / 100 kg of slurry. [Table 1]

[0299] The slurry was cast onto a glass plate using a casting bar (0.6 mm) and dried in an oven at 140 degrees Celsius, then in a second oven at 135 degrees Celsius.

[0300] For each of homogenized plant material samples A-E, plugs were generated from a single continuous sheet of homogenized plant material, each sheet having a width of 100 mm to 125 mm. Individual sheets were approximately 220 microns thick and weighed approximately 135 g / m². 2 The cut width of each sheet was adapted based on the thickness of each sheet to produce rods of comparable volume. The sheets were crimped to a height of 165 microns to 170 microns, rolled into plugs having a length of about 12 mm and a diameter of about 7 mm, and surrounded by a paper wrapper.

[0301] For each plug, an aerosol-generating article having a total length of approximately 45 mm was formed having a structure as shown in Figure 3, comprising, from the downstream end, a mouth-end cellulose acetate filter (approximately 7 mm long), an aerosol spacer (approximately 18 mm long) comprising a crimped sheet of polylactic acid polymer, a hollow acetate tube (approximately 8 mm long), and the plug of aerosol-generating substrate.

[0302] For homogenized plant material Sample E, in which rosemary particles comprised 100 percent of the plant material, rosemary characteristic compounds were extracted from the homogenized plant material plugs using methanol as detailed above. The extract was analyzed as described above to confirm the presence of the characteristic compounds and to determine the amount of the characteristic compounds. The results of this analysis are shown in Table 2 below, where the amounts shown correspond to the amount per aerosol-generating article, and the aerosol-generating substrate of the aerosol-generating article contained 178 mg of homogenized plant material Sample E.

[0303] For comparative purposes, the amount of the characteristic compound present in the particulate plant material (rosemary particles) used to form Sample E is also shown. For the particulate material, the amount shown corresponds to the amount of the characteristic compound in a sample of particulate plant material having a weight corresponding to the total weight of particulate plant material in the aerosol-generating article containing 178 mg of Sample E. [Table 2]

[0304] For each of samples B to D containing a proportion of rosemary particles, the amount of characteristic compounds can be estimated based on the values ​​in Table 2 by assuming that the amount is present in proportion to the weight of the rosemary particles.

[0305] Mainstream aerosols from aerosol-generating articles incorporating aerosol-generating substrates formed from homogenized plant material Samples A through E were generated in accordance with Test Method A defined above. For each sample, the aerosol generated was trapped and analyzed.

[0306] As detailed above, the aerosol-generating article was tested using a commercially available Philip Morris Products SA iQOS® heat-not-burn device Tobacco Heating System 2.2 Holder (THS2.2 Holder) according to Test Method A. The aerosol-generating article was heated under the Health Canada machine smoking regimen for 30 puffs with a puff volume of 55 ml, a puff duration of 2 seconds, and 30 seconds between puffs (as described in ISO / TR 19478-1:2014).

[0307] The aerosol generated during the smoking test was collected on a Cambridge filter pad and extracted with a liquid solvent. Figure 10 shows a suitable apparatus for generating and collecting aerosol from an aerosol-generating article.

[0308] The aerosol generating device 111 shown in Figure 10 is a commercially available tobacco heating device (IQOS). The contents of the mainstream aerosol generated during the Health Canada smoking test detailed above were collected in an aerosol collection chamber 113 on an aerosol collection line 120. The glass fiber filter pad 140 is a 44 mm Cambridge glass fiber filter pad (CFP) conforming to ISO 4387 and ISO 3308.

[0309] For LC-HRAM-MS analysis : Extraction solvents 170, 170a, in this case methanol and internal standard (ISTD) solution, are present in each microimpinger 160, 160a at a volume of 10 mL. Cold baths 161, 161a each contain dry ice-isopropyl ether to maintain the microimpingers 160, 160a, respectively, at approximately −60° C. A gas-vapor phase is trapped within the extraction solvents 170, 170a as the aerosol is bubbled through the microimpingers 160, 160a. The combined solutions from the two microimpingers are separated in step 181 as impinger-trapped gas-vapor phase solution 180.

[0310] The CFP and impinger-trapped gas-vapor phase solution 180 are combined in a clean Pyrex® tube in step 190. In step 200, all particulate matter is extracted from the CFP using the impinger-trapped gas-vapor phase solution 180 (containing methanol as a solvent) by thorough shaking (to disintegrate the CFP), stirring for 5 minutes, and finally centrifugation (4500 g, 5 minutes, 10°C). An aliquot (300 μL) of the total reconstituted aerosol extract 220 was transferred to a silanized chromatography vial and diluted with methanol (700 μL) because the extraction solvent 170, 170a already contained the internal standard (ISTD) solution. The vial was closed and mixed for 5 minutes using an Eppendorf ThermoMixer (5°C, 2000 rpm).

[0311] For compound identification, aliquots (1.5 μL) of the diluted extract were injected and analyzed by LC-HRAM-MS in both full scan and data-dependent fragmentation modes.

[0312] Regarding GCxGC-TOFMS analysis: As mentioned above, when preparing samples for GCxGC-TOFMS experiments, different solvents are appropriate for the extraction and analysis of polar, nonpolar, and volatile compounds separated from whole aerosols. The experimental setup is identical to that described for LC-HRAM-MS sample collection, with the exceptions noted below.

[0313] Non-polar and polar Extraction solvent 171, 171a is present in a volume of 10 mL and is an 80:20 v / v mixture of dichloromethane and methanol, also containing a retention index marker (RIM) compound and a stable isotope-labeled internal standard (ISTD). Cold baths 162, 162a each contain a dry ice-isopropanol mixture to maintain microimpingers 160, 160a, respectively, at approximately −78°C. A gas-vapor phase is trapped within extraction solvent 171, 171a as the aerosol is bubbled through microimpingers 160, 160a. The combined solution from the two microimpingers is separated in step 182 as impinger-trapped gas-vapor phase solution 210.

[0314] non-polar The CFP and impinger-trapped gas-vapor phase solution 210 are combined in a clean Pyrex® tube in step 190. In step 200, all particulate matter is extracted from the CFP using impinger-trapped gas-vapor phase solution 210 (containing dichloromethane and methanol as solvents) by thorough shaking (to break down the CFP), stirring for 5 minutes, and finally centrifugation (4500 g, 5 minutes, 10° C.) to separate polar and non-polar components of the total aerosol extract 230.

[0315] In step 250, a 10 mL aliquot 240 of the entire aerosol extract 230 was removed. In step 260, a 10 mL aliquot of water was added and the entire sample was shaken and centrifuged. The non-polar fraction 270 was isolated, dried over sodium sulfate, and analyzed by GCxGC-TOFMS in full scan mode.

[0316] polarity ISTD and RIM compounds were added to the polar fraction 280, which was directly analyzed by GCxGC-TOFMS in full scan mode.

[0317] Each smoking replicate (n=3) contains an accumulation of 270% of the entrapped reconstituted non-polar fraction and 280% of the non-polar fraction for each sample.

[0318] Volatile components The entire aerosol was trapped using two microimpingers 160, 160a in series. Extraction solvents 172, 172a, in this case N,N-dimethylformamide (DMF), a retention indicator marker (RIM) compound, and a stable isotope-labeled internal standard (ISTD), were present in each microimpinger 160, 160a at a volume of 10 mL. Cold baths 161, 161a each contained dry ice-isopropanol ether to maintain the microimpingers 160, 160a at approximately -60°C, respectively. The gas-vapor phase was trapped within the extraction solvents 170, 170a as the aerosol was bubbled through the microimpingers 160, 160a. The combined solution from the two microimpingers was separated in step 183 as a volatile-containing phase 211. The volatile-containing phase 211 is analyzed separately from the other phases and injected directly into the GCxGC-TOFMS using cool on-column without further preparation.

[0319] Table 3 below shows the levels of characteristic compounds from rosemary particles in aerosols generated from an aerosol-generating article incorporating Sample E of homogenized plant material containing only rosemary particles. For comparison purposes, Table 3 also shows the levels of characteristic compounds in aerosols generated from an aerosol-generating article incorporating Sample A of homogenized plant material containing only tobacco particles (and therefore not according to the invention). [Table 3]

[0320] For example, relatively high levels of characteristic compounds may be measured in the aerosol generated from Sample E. The ratio of betulinic acid to rosmaridiphenol may typically be greater than 20:1. Measured levels of characteristic compounds within the above range may indicate the presence of rosemary particles in the sample and the composition of the homogenized sheet as defined above. In contrast, for tobacco-only Sample A, which contains substantially no rosemary particles, levels of characteristic compounds may be found to be zero or near zero.

[0321] For each of Samples B through D containing a proportion of rosemary particles, the amount of characteristic compound in the aerosol can be estimated based on the values ​​in Table 3 by assuming that the amount is present in proportion to the weight of rosemary particles in the aerosol-generating substrate from which the aerosol was generated.

[0322] It was also found that the aerosol produced by Sample E, containing 65 weight percent rosemary powder, resulted in reduced levels of several undesirable aerosol components compared to the levels in the aerosol of Sample A produced using 100 weight percent tobacco based on the dry weight of the particulate plant material.

[0323] Example 2 Sheets of homogenized plant material according to the invention were formed using the compositions shown as Recipe 1 and Recipe 2 in Table 4 below. For comparative purposes, a third sheet of homogenized plant material using an alternative binder (and therefore not according to the invention) was formed using the composition shown as Recipe 3 in Table 4 below. All sheets incorporated relatively high levels of rosemary particles and were formed using the cast leaf method, as described above in Example 1. [Table 4]

[0324] The cast leaves formed from Samples 1 and 2 according to the present invention were found to be homogeneous in texture, with relatively uniform thickness and high tensile strength. The cast leaves could be easily removed from the casting plate and formed into rods of aerosol-generating substrates. In contrast, the cast leaves formed from Sample 3, using a known binder instead of the CMC and cellulose combination, were found to have virtually no tensile strength and to be porous and brittle. The cast leaves could not be easily removed from the casting plate and were found to fragment, resulting in failure to form into rods of aerosol-generating substrates. This example demonstrates that using a combination of CMC and additional cellulose instead of a guar gum binder provides significantly improved sheets of homogenized plant material with greatly improved tensile strength and homogeneity.

[0325] The cast leaf formed from Sample 2 has a relatively high level (35 weight percent) of aerosol formers and is particularly suitable for use in forming aerosol-generating substrates for aerosol-generating articles intended to be heated to temperatures of 275 degrees Celsius.

[0326] When heated to a temperature of about 265 degrees Celsius, the aerosol-generating substrate produced from cast leaves formed from Sample 2 was found to provide significantly improved aerosol delivery compared to cast leaves from Sample 3. In particular, the aerosol delivery was improved to a greater extent than would be expected based on the level of aerosol former alone, demonstrating the improvement in aerosol delivery provided by incorporating a CMC binder in place of guar gum.

[0327] Example 3 The following homogenized plant materials according to the present invention were produced using the cast leaf method described above for Example 1, each having a different type of non-tobacco plant material. For each plant material, the composition shown in Table 5 below was used. [Table 5]

[0328] The properties of the resulting homogenized plant material are shown in Table 6 below. [Table 6]

[0329] In either case, the resulting homogenized plant material was found to have acceptable thickness and tensile strength so as to allow the homogenized plant material to be incorporated into an aerosol-generating article.

Claims

1. An aerosol-generating article comprising an aerosol-generating substrate, the aerosol-generating substrate comprising: 1 weight percent to 65 weight percent non-tobacco plant particles on a dry weight basis; 15 to 55 percent by weight of an aerosol former on a dry weight basis; 5 to 10 weight percent of a cellulose ether on a dry weight basis, and 5 to 50 percent by weight of additional cellulose on a dry weight basis; The aerosol-generating article, wherein the additional cellulose is in the form of isolated cellulose and is not derived from non-tobacco plant particles, and the ratio of the additional cellulose to cellulose ether in the homogenized plant material is at least 2.

2. 10. The aerosol-generating substrate of claim 1, wherein the homogenized plant material further comprises 1 percent by weight of tobacco particles.

3. An aerosol-generating article comprising an aerosol-generating substrate, the aerosol-generating substrate comprising: 1 weight percent to 65 weight percent tobacco particles on a dry weight basis; 15 to 55 percent by weight of an aerosol former on a dry weight basis; 5 to 10 weight percent of a cellulose ether on a dry weight basis, and 5 to 50 percent by weight of additional cellulose on a dry weight basis; The aerosol-generating article, wherein the additional cellulose is in the form of isolated cellulose and is not derived from tobacco particles, and the ratio of additional cellulose to cellulose ether in the homogenized plant material is at least 2.

4. 4. The aerosol-generating article of claim 1, wherein the additional cellulose comprises cellulose powder, the amount of cellulose powder corresponding to at least 5 percent by weight of the homogenized plant material on a dry weight basis.

5. 5. The aerosol-generating article of claim 4, wherein the ratio of cellulose powder to cellulose ether in the homogenized plant material is at least 1.

5.

6. 6. The aerosol-generating article of claim 4 or 5, wherein the cellulose powder has at least 95 percent by weight cellulose.

7. 7. The aerosol-generating article of claim 1, wherein the additional cellulose comprises cellulose reinforcing fibers, the amount of cellulose reinforcing fibers corresponding to at least 3 percent by weight of the homogenized plant material on a dry weight basis.

8. 8. The aerosol-generating article of claim 7, wherein the ratio of cellulose reinforcing fibers to cellulose ether in the homogenized plant material is at least 1.

9. 9. The aerosol-generating article according to claim 1, wherein the additional cellulose comprises cellulose powder and cellulose reinforcing fibers, and the ratio of cellulose powder to cellulose reinforcing fibers is at least 1.

5.

10. The aerosol-generating article according to any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the cellulose ether comprises carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC).

11. An aerosol-generating article described in any of claims 1 to 10, wherein the total amount of the non-tobacco plant particles described in claim 1 or the tobacco particles described in claim 3 and the additional cellulose is 75 weight percent or less of the homogenized plant material on a dry weight basis.

12. 12. The aerosol-generating article of claim 1, wherein the homogenized plant material comprises rosemary particles.

13. the homogenized plant material 50 to 65 weight percent non-tobacco particles on a dry weight basis; 15 to 25 percent by weight of an aerosol former on a dry weight basis.

14. the homogenized plant material 50 to 65 weight percent tobacco particles on a dry weight basis; 3. The aerosol-generating article of claim 2, comprising: on a dry weight basis, 15 to 25 percent by weight of an aerosol former.

15. the homogenized plant material 10 weight percent to 55 weight percent non-tobacco particles on a dry weight basis; 30 to 45 percent by weight of an aerosol former on a dry weight basis.

16. the homogenized plant material 10 weight percent to 55 weight percent tobacco particles on a dry weight basis; 30 to 45 percent by weight of an aerosol former on a dry weight basis.

17. 16. The aerosol-generating article of claim 13 or 15, wherein the non-tobacco particles are selected from rosemary particles, star anise particles, ginger particles, clove particles, eucalyptus particles, or combinations thereof.

18. The aerosol-generating substrate is at least 50 micrograms of betulinic acid per gram of substrate on a dry weight basis; At least 20 micrograms of rosmaridiphenol per gram of substrate on a dry weight basis; and at least 0.3 micrograms of 12-O-methylcarnosol per gram of substrate on a dry weight basis.

19. When the aerosol-generating substrate is heated by Test Method A, at least 30 micrograms of betulinic acid per gram of said substrate on a dry weight basis; at least 1 microgram of rosmaridiphenol per gram of said substrate on a dry weight basis; 19. The aerosol-generating article of claim 18, wherein an aerosol is generated comprising at least 1 microgram of 12-O-methylcarnosol per gram of substrate on a dry weight basis.

Images