Water-Based Aerosolisable Formulation for Heat-Stable Flavour Release
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current e-cigarette formulations face issues with flavor degradation due to excessive heating, leading to reduced consumer satisfaction, as they typically use glycerol and propylene glycol as excipients and require solvents like ethanol for hydrophobic flavors, which vaporize readily when heated.
Innovation Solution
An aerosolisable formulation comprising at least 70 wt.% water, one or more flavors, and one or more cyclodextrins, particularly 2-hydroxypropyl-β-cyclodextrin, which allows for flavor release without heating, using ultrasonic energy to form a condensation aerosol, thereby maintaining flavor stability and quality.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If heating is used to vaporise the liquid formulation, then the liquid is vaporised and delivered to the user, but the flavour components degrade due to excessive heat
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the physical and chemical parameters of the formulation by using high water content (70-95 wt.%) instead of traditional glycerol/propylene glycol bases, and incorporates cyclodextrins to complex with flavour compounds. This allows the formulation to be aerosolised at lower temperatures without flavour degradation, as the cyclodextrin-flavour complexes remain stable under reduced heating conditions.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a composite formulation system combining water, cyclodextrins, and flavour compounds. The cyclodextrins form inclusion complexes with hydrophobic flavour molecules, creating a stable composite structure that can be delivered without excessive heating, thereby protecting the flavour components from thermal degradation.
2Stability of the object's composition
If hydrophobic flavour components are added to achieve full miscibility with excipient components and water, then flavour solubility is improved, but volatile solvents like ethanol are required which vaporise readily and reduce flavour quality
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses cyclodextrins as intermediary molecules that form inclusion complexes with hydrophobic flavour compounds. These cyclodextrin-flavour complexes are water-soluble and stable, eliminating the need for volatile organic solvents like ethanol. The cyclodextrins act as mediators that enable flavour solubility in water without requiring volatile co-solvents.
3Stability of the object's composition
If traditional excipients (glycerol and propylene glycol) are used, then the formulation is stable and miscible, but excessive heating is required leading to flavour degradation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent fundamentally changes the formulation composition by replacing traditional glycerol/propylene glycol excipients with a water-based system containing cyclodextrins. This parameter change allows the formulation to achieve stability and miscibility without requiring the high viscosity and boiling points of traditional excipients, enabling lower temperature aerosolisation that preserves flavour quality.
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 high water content formulation with cyclodextrins ensures effective flavor release and stability, enhancing flavor delivery and consumer satisfaction while avoiding heat-related degradation, even at lower nicotine levels, as demonstrated by user panel feedback.
Implementation Method 1
one or more cyclodextrins... which allows for flavor release without heating
Implementation Method 2
using ultrasonic energy to form a condensation aerosol
Implementation Method 3
using ultrasonic energy to form a condensation aerosol
Data Source
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AI summary
There is provided an aerosolisable formulation comprising (i) water in an amount of at least 50 wt.% based on the aerosolisable formulation; (ii) one or more flavours; and (iii) one or more cyclodextrins.