METHOD OF MANUFACTURING AN AEROSOL-GENERATING FILM

Abstract

A method of manufacturing an aerosol-generating film for generating an aerosol upon heating is provided, including: preparing a film-forming composition including a cellulose based film-forming agent, a non-cellulose based thickening agent, at least about 30 wt percent of water, and at least about 20 wt percent of a polyhydric alcohol being glycerin; forming a layer of the composition less than 1 millimeter thick; and heating the layer to evaporate at least some of the water to obtain the film, the layer being heated to a temperature and for a time such that the film contains less than or equal to about 30 wt percent of water, and the step of preparing the composition further includes dissolving the cellulose based agent and the non-cellulose based thickening agent in the water to form a water-based preparation, defoaming the preparation, and mixing the polyhydric alcohol into the preparation to obtain the composition.

Claims

1.-19. (canceled)

20. A method of manufacturing an aerosol-generating film for generating an aerosol upon heating, the method comprising: preparing a film-forming composition comprising: a cellulose based film-forming agent, a non-cellulose based thickening agent, at least about 30 wt percent of water, and at least about 20 wt percent of a polyhydric alcohol, wherein the polyhydric alcohol is glycerin; forming a layer of the film-forming composition, the layer having a thickness of less than 1 millimeter; and heating the layer of the film-forming composition to evaporate at least some of the water to obtain the aerosol-generating film, wherein the layer of the film-forming composition is heated to a temperature and for a time such that the aerosol-generating film contains less than or equal to about 30 wt percent of water, wherein the step of preparing the film-forming composition further comprises: dissolving the cellulose based film-forming agent and the non-cellulose based thickening agent in the water to form a water-based preparation, defoaming the water-based preparation, and mixing the polyhydric alcohol into the water-based preparation to obtain the film-forming composition.

21. The method according to claim 20, wherein the cellulose based film-forming agent is selected from the group consisting of hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (HPMC), methylcellulose, and combinations thereof.

22. The method according to claim 20, wherein the film-forming composition comprises at least 4 wt percent of the cellulose based film forming agent.

23. The method according to claim 20, wherein the non-cellulose based thickening agent is selected from the group consisting of agar, xanthan gum, alginate, and combinations thereof.

24. The method according to claim 20, wherein the film-forming composition further comprises an alkaloid compound, or a cannabinoid compound, or a plant material, or a non-tobacco plant extract, or a combination thereof.

25. The method according to claim 20, wherein the film-forming composition further comprises nicotine.

26. The method according to claim 20, wherein the film-forming composition further comprises an acid.

27. The method according to claim 26, wherein the acid is lactic acid or levulinic acid.

28. The method according to claim 20, wherein the film-forming composition consists of: from about 3 wt percent to about 6 wt percent HPMC, from about 0.5 wt percent to about 2 wt percent agar, from about 0.1 wt percent to about 2 wt percent nicotine, from about 0.1 wt percent to about 1 wt percent of an acid, from about 10 wt percent to about 20 wt percent glycerin, and balance water.

29. The method according to claim 20, wherein in the step of heating the layer of the film-forming composition to evaporate at least some of the water to obtain the aerosol-generating film, the layer of the film-forming composition is heated to a temperature and for a time such that the film contains at least about 40 wt percent of the polyhydric alcohol.

30. The method according to claim 20, wherein the step of forming the layer of the film-forming composition comprises applying the film-forming composition on a substantially flat support surface.

31. The method according to claim 20, wherein in the step of heating the layer of the film-forming composition to evaporate at least some of the water to obtain the aerosol-generating film, the layer of the film-forming composition is heated to at least about 50 degrees Celsius.

32. The method according to claim 20, wherein in the step of heating the layer of the film-forming composition to evaporate at least some of the water to obtain the aerosol-generating film, the layer of the film-forming composition is heated to less than or equal to about 140 degrees Celsius.

33. The method according to claim 20, wherein in the step of heating the layer of the film-forming composition to evaporate at least some of the water to obtain the aerosol-generating film, the layer of the film-forming composition is heated to a temperature and for a time such that the film contains at least about 3 wt percent of water.

34. The method according to claim 20, wherein in the step of heating the layer of the film-forming composition to evaporate at least some of the water to obtain the aerosol-generating film, the layer of the film-forming composition is heated to a temperature and for a time such that at from about 40 wt percent to about 90 wt percent of the water in the film-forming composition is evaporated.

35. The method according to claim 20, wherein in the step of heating the layer of the film-forming composition to evaporate at least some of the water to obtain the aerosol-generating film, the layer of the film-forming composition is heated to a temperature and for a time such that the film contains from about 5 wt percent to about 25 wt percent of water.

Description

EXAMPLES

[0147] Table 1 describes the composition of aerosol-generating films, along with the formulation of film-forming compositions from which the aerosol-generating films are obtained.

TABLE-US-00001 TABLE 1 Film-forming Aerosol-generating Example composition (w/w) film composition (w/w) 1 4.41% HPMC 19.27% HPMC 1.10% Agar 4.8% Agar 0.33% Nicotine 1.44% Nicotine 11% Glycerin 48% Glycerin 0.47% Levulinic acid 2.07% Levulinic acid 82.69% Water 24.42% Water 2 6.03% HPMC 20.38% HPMC 1.51% Agar 5.09% Agar 0.5% Nicotine 1.70% Nicotine 15.07% Glycerin 50.94% Glycerin 0.56% Levulinic acid 1.89% Levulinic acid 76.34% Water 20% Water 3 7.75% HPMC 11.04% HPMC 2.33% Agar 3.31% Agar 1.47% Nicotine 2.10% Nicotine 46.51% Glycerin 66.22% Glycerin 1.64% Levulinic acid 2.33% Levulinic acid 40.30% Water 15% Water

[0148] Aerosol-generating films are manufactured based on the compositions in Table 1. To this purpose, the HPMC and agar are mixed in glycerin using heat and agitation until dissolution. Water, nicotine and levulinic acid are then added under agitation until dissolution. A layer of the film-forming composition thus obtained is formed on a plane surface and left to solidify. The layer of film-forming composition is formed with a thickness of about 210 micrometres. The layer of film-forming composition thus formed is heated to about 140 degrees Celsius for about 8 minutes.

[0149] The aerosol-generating film obtained after drying is solid. In other words, the aerosol-generating film has a stable size and shape and does not flow. The term “stable” is used herein to indicate that the aerosol-generating film obtained by a method in accordance with the invention substantially maintains its shape and mass when exposed to a variety of environmental conditions. As such, it substantially does not release or absorb water when exposed to standard temperature and pressure while varying the relative humidity from about 10 percent to about 60 percent.

[0150] This is particularly advantageous as it ensures that films obtained by methods in accordance with the present invention do not release a liquid phase during storage or transportation, for example, from the manufacturing facility to a point of sale.

[0151] The aerosol-generating films prepared as described above are heated to a temperature from about 180 degrees Celsius to about 250 degrees Celsius to simulate the conditions of use in an aerosol-generating device. The nicotine, glycerin and water contained in the film evaporate. The nicotine and glycerin condense to form an inhalable aerosol. The aerosol-generating film shrinks slightly and its volume is reduced. However, the film remains solid and maintains its film form. It appears to harden slightly and to take on a darker, brownish colour.