Homogenized Tobacco Material with Basic pH Modifier
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing reconstitution processes for homogenized tobacco materials, such as casting or 'cast leaf' processes, result in significant nicotine loss during the drying step, limiting the transfer yield of nicotine to inhalable aerosols in heated aerosol-generating articles when heated to relatively low temperatures.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating a basic pH modifier with low water solubility, such as magnesium hydroxide, into the homogenized tobacco material to enhance nicotine release and reduce nicotine loss during production, while maintaining a lower heating temperature to prevent undesirable compound formation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If the temperature is increased to enhance nicotine diffusion and release, then nicotine transfer yield improves, but formation of undesirable compounds increases and aerosol physical properties deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the chemical parameter (pH) of the homogenized tobacco material by adding basic pH modifiers, which alters the nicotine release mechanism. This allows effective nicotine transfer at lower temperatures by modifying the chemical environment rather than relying solely on thermal diffusion, thus avoiding the formation of undesirable compounds associated with high-temperature heating.
2Manufacturing precision
If heating temperature is increased to improve nicotine release, then nicotine transfer yield increases, but aerosol temperature and particle size are adversely affected
Solution Approach 1:
The patent modifies the chemical composition by incorporating basic pH modifiers into the homogenized tobacco material. This chemical modification enables nicotine release at lower heating temperatures by altering the protonation state and solubility of nicotine, thereby achieving satisfactory transfer yield without excessively increasing aerosol temperature and particle size.
3Ease of manufacture
If conventional casting processes are used to produce homogenized tobacco material, then production is straightforward, but significant nicotine loss occurs during drying
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the chemical parameter (pH) of the homogenized tobacco material used in conventional casting processes. By adding basic pH modifiers, nicotine is converted to its free base form which has lower solubility in the aqueous slurry, reducing nicotine loss during the drying step while maintaining the simplicity of the conventional casting manufacturing process.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The use of a basic pH modifier increases the nicotine transfer yield to inhalable aerosols at lower temperatures, reducing nicotine loss during production and allowing for equivalent nicotine yields with potentially longer device operation and smaller battery requirements in electrically-operated systems.
Implementation Method 1
homogenised botanical material comprising plant material, an aerosol former and a basic pH modifier
Implementation Method 2
an inhalable aerosol is formed by heating the aerosol-generating substrate to a relatively low temperature, for example a temperature of about 350° C
Implementation Method 3
Migration of nicotine within homogenised tobacco material is limited by diffusion
Data Source
AI summary
A homogenised botanical material is provided, including a particulate plant material, a content of which is greater than or equal to about 60% by weight, on a dry weight basis; an aerosol former; and a basic pH modifier having a solubility in water of less than or equal to about 0.1 g/100 mL water at 20° C. and 1 atm, the basic pH modifier including one or more basic inorganic salts selected from the group consisting of: alkaline earth metal hydrogen carbonates, alkaline earth metal hydroxides, and alkaline earth metal phosphates.