Philip Morris USA Inc.

Philip Morris Inc.

Philip Morris Products S.a.

Qiong Gao

Lixin Xue

Kent Brian Koller

George Robert Scott

Liqun Yu

Charles Thomas

Tim Sherwood

Lixin Luke Xue

A process of retaining fine adsorbent particles such as carbon material or APS silica gel in the micro-cavities of a shaped fiber comprises the steps of continuously conveying a shaped fiber with micro-cavities to a charging arrangement where the fiber is electrostatically charged. The electrostatically charged fiber is then drawn through a reservoir of the fine adsorbent particles. As the fiber passes through the reservoir the fine particles adhere to the fiber and the micro-cavities thereof. Any excess particles are removed from the fiber outside the reservoir. Subsequently the shaped fiber loaded with fine adsorbent particles is collected for use in filter applications of one type or another such as cigarette filters, for example.

Continuous process for retaining solid adsorbent particles on shaped micro-cavity fibers

A process of impregnating fine adsorbent particles such as carbon dust or APS silica gel powder into the micro-cavities of shaped fibers comprises the steps of continuously conveying shaped fibers with micro-cavities to a reservoir of the fine adsorbent particles. The fibers pass through the reservoir to thereby produce relative motion between the fibers and the particles. Additionally, impact forces are created between the shaped fibers and the fine particles to assist in impregnating the particles into the micro-cavities of the fibers. Any excess particles are removed from the fibers outside the reservoir, and subsequently the shaped fibers impregnated with fine adsorbent particles are collected for later use in filter applications such as cigarette filter and air filter applications, for example.

Continuous process for impregnating solid adsorbent particles into shaped micro-cavity fibers and fiber filters

This invention is a highly efficient filter containing fibers that contain small particle size adsorbents/absorbents such as carbon and/or silica to selectively reduce targeted components in mainstream cigarette smoke. The invention relates to a novel class of highly efficient cigarette smoke filters made from much smaller solid fine particles (preferably 1-50 micrometers in diameter) impregnated in shaped fibers that possess open or semi-opened micro-cavity. The invention further relates to a cigarette having a plug/space/plug or plug/space configuration and having the impregnated filters resided in the space in bonded non-woven or freely unbounded manner to allow controlled TPM delivery.

High efficiency cigarette filters having shaped micro cavity fibers impregnated with adsorbent or absorbent materials

Fibers are produced from an acetone solution of cellulose acetate by pulling or extruding such material through a spinneret in a dry spinning process. A vacuum is applied to the thus formed fibers after a certain degree of drying. A dried outer skin is formed, and the vacuum causes the solvent inside the skin to explode or pop and exit the fiber along micro-porous paths thereby producing high surface area fibers with micro-porous cavities and internal void volume. Such micro-cavities are particularly useful for retaining solid and/or liquid reagents in a cigarette filter for selective filtration of various smoke components.

High surface area micro-porous fibers from polymer solutions

High efficiency cigarette filters having shaped microcavity fibers impregnated with adsorbent or absorbent materials

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Great Neck, NY, United States of America

Qiong Gao