MODIFIED AEROSOL-GENERATING ELEMENT FOR USE IN AN AEROSOL-GENERATING ARTICLE OR SYSTEM

Abstract

An aerosol-generating element for an aerosol-generating article or system is provided, the element including: a solid continuous matrix structure; and an aerosol-generating formulation dispersed within the structure, in which the formulation is trapped within the structure and releasable from the structure upon heating of the element, in which the structure is an alginate matrix, in which the formulation consists of: nicotine from 1% by weight to 4% by weight of a total weight of the element, glycerin from 60% by weight to 80% by weight of the total weight of the element, a carboxylic acid from 0.5% by weight to 4% by weight of the total weight of the element, and balance water, in which the formulation dispersed within the structure is at least about 80% by weight of a total weight of the element, and in which the element includes less than 15% by weight of water.

Claims

1.-13. (canceled)

14. An aerosol-generating element for an aerosol-generating article or system, the aerosol-generating element comprising: a solid continuous matrix structure; and an aerosol-generating formulation dispersed within the solid continuous matrix structure, wherein the aerosol-generating formulation is trapped within the solid continuous matrix structure and releasable from the solid continuous matrix structure upon heating of the aerosol-generating element, wherein the solid continuous matrix structure is an alginate matrix, wherein the aerosol-generating formulation dispersed within the solid continuous matrix structure consists of: nicotine in an amount accounting for from 1 percent by weight to 4 percent by weight of a total weight of the aerosol-generating element, glycerin in an amount accounting for from 60 percent by weight to 80 percent by weight of the total weight of the aerosol-generating element, a carboxylic acid in an amount accounting for from 0.5 percent by weight to 4 percent by weight of the total weight of the aerosol-generating element, and balance water, wherein the aerosol-generating formulation dispersed within the solid continuous matrix structure accounts for at least about 80 percent by weight of a total weight of the aerosol-generating element, and wherein the aerosol-generating element comprises less than 15 percent by weight of water.

15. The aerosol-generating element according to claim 14, wherein the aerosol-generating formulation dispersed within the solid continuous matrix structure accounts for at least about 90 percent by weight of the total weight of the aerosol-generating element.

16. The aerosol-generating element according to claim 14, wherein the carboxylic acid is lactic acid or levulinic acid.

17. The aerosol-generating element according to claim 14, further comprising from 2 percent by weight to 6 percent by weight of alginate.

18. The aerosol-generating element according to claim 14, further comprising less than about 10 percent by weight of water.

19. The aerosol-generating element according to claim 14, wherein the aerosol-generating element has an equivalent diameter of at least about 0.5 millimetres.

20. The aerosol-generating element according to claim 14, wherein the aerosol-generating element has an equivalent diameter of less than or equal to about 6 millimetres.

21. The aerosol-generating element according to claim 14, wherein the aerosol-generating element has an ovality from about 2 percent to about 30 percent.

22. The aerosol-generating element according to claim 14, wherein the aerosol-generating element has an exposed surface area to volume ratio from about 0.083 cm.sup.−1 to about 24 cm.sup.−1.

Description

EXAMPLE

[0216] An aerosol-generating solution is formed from a mixture of the following components:

TABLE-US-00001 Component % by weight Glycerin 43.6 Sodium alginate 2.1 Nicotine 1.2 Levulinic acid 1.4 Water 51.7

[0217] In an initial step, the sodium alginate is added to the water to form a matrix polymer solution. The nicotine is then added, followed by the glycerin and finally the levulinic acid.

[0218] The resultant aerosol-generating solution is extruded through a 5 millimetre nozzle to form a plurality of droplets, which are then dropped from a height of 30 centimetres into a cross-linking solution having the following composition, at room temperature:

TABLE-US-00002 Component % by weight Glycerin 42.9 Water 52.1 Calcium chloride 5.0

[0219] The droplets are left in the cross-linking solution for a period of 25 minutes before being removed and dried at 25 degrees Celsius for 12 hours, in a tray dryer. The resultant dried aerosol-generating elements are in the form of solid, spherical beads having a diameter of about 4.6 mm. Each bead has a weight of approximately 65 mg, a water activity of 0.4 and the following composition:

TABLE-US-00003 Component % by weight Glycerin 76.8 Alginate 3.8 Nicotine 2.4 Levulinic acid 2.1 Water 14.4 Calcium chloride 0.5