HYDROPHOBIC PLUG WRAP

Abstract

A smoking article includes a tobacco substrate and a filter segment comprising filtration material axially aligned in an abutting end to end relationship with the tobacco substrate. A hydrophobic plug wrap is disposed about the filtration material. The plug wrap is hydrophobic via hydrophobic groups chemically bonded to the plug wrap.

Claims

1. A method for making hydrophobic plug wrap comprising: applying a liquid composition comprising a fatty acid halide to a surface of a plug wrap, maintaining the surface at a temperature of about 120° C. to about 180° C., wherein the fatty acid halide reacts in situ with protogenic groups of material in the plug wrap resulting in a formation of fatty acid esters.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the plug wrap is paper comprising cellulosic material which comprises hydroxyl groups that react in situ with stearoyl chloride or palmitoyl chloride.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the applying step comprises printing the liquid composition comprising a fatty acid halide on the surface of a plug wrap at a rate in a range from about 0.1 to about 3 grams per square meter to render the surface of a plug wrap paper hydrophobic.

4. The method according to claim 2, wherein the applying step comprises printing the liquid composition comprising a fatty acid halide on the surface of a plug wrap at a rate in a range from about 0.1 to about 3 grams per square meter to render the surface of a plug wrap paper hydrophobic.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the applying step comprises forming at least 100 discrete islands forming a pattern of hydrophobic area on the surface of the plug wrap, and the at least 100 discrete islands having an average lateral dimension of 5 μm to 100 μm.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the applying step comprises printing the liquid composition onto the surface of the plug wrap to form a pattern of hydrophobic area of at least 100 discrete islands having an average lateral dimension of 5 micrometres to 100 micrometres and form a hydrophobic surface.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein the applying step comprises printing the liquid composition onto the surface of the plug wrap to form a pattern of hydrophobic area of at least 500 discrete islands having an average lateral dimension of 5 micrometres to 50 micrometres and form a hydrophobic surface.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein the hydrophobic plug wrap exhibits a Cobb water absorption (ISO535:1991) value (60 s) of less than 20 g/m.sup.2.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein the hydrophobic plug wrap exhibits a water contact angle of at least about 100 degrees.

10. The method according to claim 1, wherein the applying step on one surface of the plug wrap forms a hydrophobic surface on an opposing surface from the one surface.

11. The method according to claim 1, further comprising wrapping the hydrophobic plug wrap about a segment of filtration material to form a wrapped plug of filtration material.

12. The method according to claim 11, wherein the filtration material comprises cellulose acetate tow.

13. The method according to claim 11, wherein the segment of filtration material comprises a liquid releasing component that contains a liquid flavourant.

14. The method according to claim 11, further comprising combining the wrapped plug of filtration material with an aerosol generating substrate.

15. The method according to claim 14, wherein the aerosol generating substrate comprises homogenized tobacco.

16. The method according to claim 14, wherein the aerosol generating substrate comprises at least 15% humectant.

17. The method according to claim 14, further comprising joining the aerosol generating substrate to the wrapped plug of filtration material with a tipping paper circumscribing the wrapped plug of filtration material.

18. The method according to claim 1, wherein the applying step comprises ink jet printing the liquid composition onto the surface of the plug wrap.

19. The method according to claim 1, wherein the applying step comprises gravure printing the liquid composition onto the surface of the plug wrap.

Description

[0069] FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view of an embodiment of a partially unrolled smoking article.

[0070] FIG. 2 is a schematic perspective view of a plug wrap.

[0071] The smoking articles depicted in FIG. 1 illustrates one or more embodiments of smoking articles described above. The schematic drawings are not necessarily to scale and are presented for purposes of illustration and not limitation. The drawings depict one or more aspects described in this disclosure. However, it will be understood that other aspects not depicted in the drawings fall within the scope and spirit of this disclosure.

[0072] Referring now to FIG. 1, a smoking article 10 is depicted. The smoking article 10 includes a tobacco substrate 20, such as a tobacco rod, and a mouth end segment 30 and a lit end tip 70. The mouthpiece 30 can abut the tobacco substrate 20 in the finished smoking article 10. The depicted smoking article 10, includes a hydrophobic plug wrap 60 that circumscribes at least a portion of the filter or mouthpiece segment 30 and a wrapper 40 that circumscribes at least a portion of the tobacco substrate 20. A flavour capsule 35 is illustrated within the filter segment 30. Tipping paper 50 or other suitable wrapper circumscribes hydrophobic the plug wrap 60 and a portion of the wrapper 40.

[0073] The exemplary embodiments described above are not limiting. Other embodiments consistent with the exemplary embodiments described above will be apparent to those skilled in the art.