Menthol Aerosol Substrate Composition Balancing Moisture and Handling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing aerosol generating technologies face challenges in optimizing the composition and structure of amorphous solids used in aerosol generating articles, leading to issues such as compromised heating efficiency, brittleness, microbial growth, and unsatisfactory puff profiles due to improper water content and thickness, as well as difficulties in handling and manufacturing.
Innovation Solution
The development of an aerosol generating article comprising an amorphous solid with a specific composition and structure, including 10-60 wt% flavourants like menthol, 1-50 wt% gelling agents, and 5-15 wt% water, supported by a carrier material, which optimizes water content and thickness to enhance handling, heating efficiency, and consumer experience.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If water content in amorphous solid is increased to improve aerosol generation efficiency, then aerosol generation efficiency is improved, but microbial growth risk increases and handling difficulty increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies parameter changes by precisely controlling the water content within 1-15 wt% range and flavourant content within 10-60 wt% range. This optimized parameter range achieves the dual benefit of sufficient aerosol generation efficiency while preventing microbial growth and maintaining material stability. The specific parameter thresholds represent the optimal balance point between productivity and harmful factor prevention.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses composite materials by combining amorphous solid with specific proportions of gelling agents, aerosol generating agents, and flavourants. This composite structure creates a stable matrix that controls water availability, preventing microbial growth while maintaining aerosol generation performance. The composite formulation integrates multiple functional components that work synergistically to resolve the contradiction.
2Productivity
If water content in amorphous solid is increased to improve aerosol generation efficiency, then aerosol generation efficiency is improved, but handling difficulty increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies parameter changes by precisely controlling the water content within 1-15 wt% range and flavourant content within 10-60 wt% range. This optimized parameter range achieves the dual benefit of sufficient aerosol generation efficiency while preventing microbial growth and maintaining material stability. The specific parameter thresholds represent the optimal balance point between productivity and harmful factor prevention.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses composite materials by combining amorphous solid with specific proportions of gelling agents, aerosol generating agents, and flavourants. This composite structure creates a stable matrix that controls water availability, preventing microbial growth while maintaining aerosol generation performance. The composite formulation integrates multiple functional components that work synergistically to resolve the contradiction.
3Reliability
If flavourant content is increased to improve consumer satisfaction, then consumer satisfaction is improved, but heating efficiency decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies parameter changes by optimizing flavourant content within 10-60 wt% range alongside water content 1-15 wt%. This balanced parameter setting ensures sufficient flavourant is present for consumer satisfaction while the controlled water content and amorphous solid matrix maintain good thermal contact and heating efficiency, preventing excessive energy consumption.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses composite materials by combining amorphous solid with specific proportions of gelling agents, aerosol generating agents, and flavourants. This composite structure creates a stable matrix that controls water availability, preventing microbial growth while maintaining aerosol generation performance. The composite formulation integrates multiple functional components that work synergistically to resolve the contradiction.
4Use of energy by stationary object
If amorphous solid thickness is reduced to improve heating efficiency, then heating efficiency is improved, but manufacturing precision requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies parameter changes by optimizing multiple composition parameters (water 1-15 wt%, flavourant 10-60 wt%) that work together to achieve the desired balance between heating efficiency and manufacturability. The composition optimization compensates for thickness variations, allowing thicker materials to still achieve acceptable heating performance while maintaining manufacturing feasibility.
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 optimized amorphous solid composition and structure improve aerosol generation efficiency, reduce power consumption, and enhance consumer satisfaction by providing consistent puff profiles and preventing microbial growth, while maintaining ease of handling and manufacturing.
Implementation Method 1
These hybrid devices contain a liquid source (which may or may not contain nicotine) which is vaporised by heating to produce an inhalable vapour or aerosol
Implementation Method 2
The heating volatilises at least one component of the material, typically forming an inhalable aerosol
Data Source
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AI summary
Described herein is an aerosol generating substrate comprising an aerosol generating material. The aerosol generating material comprises an amorphous solid which comprises 1-60 wt% of a gelling agent, 5-80 wt% of an aerosol generating agent and optionally 0.1-60 wt% of at least one active substance and/or flavourant (dry weight basis). The amorphous solid comprises from about 1wt% to about 15wt% water, calculated on a wet weight basis.