R.j. Reynolds Tobacco Company

North Carolina State University

Samuel Mark Debusk

David Neil McClanahan

John-Paul Mua

Barry Bratcher

Joshua D Morton

Kyle Ford

Leigh Ann Blevins Joyce

Margarette Elisa Lovette

Leigh Hagan

Medwick Vaughan Byrd, Jr

Andries Don Sebastian

Anthony Richard Gerardi

Grady Lance Dooly

Paul Stuart Chapman

Marjo Maeaettaenen

Airi Saerkilahti

Panu Lahtinen

John Larkin Nelson

Bain C McConnell

Robert J Fix, Sr

Nancy Carol Huettel

Jannell Mills Rowe

Jr Medwick Vaughan Byrd

The present disclosure describes methods of obtaining and/or deriving proteins from plants of thespecies and methods for incorporation of such proteins into various products. For example, a method for obtaining a protein-enriched material from a plant of thespecies or portion thereof is provided, comprising: extracting one or more proteins from the plant material into a solvent to form a liquid protein-containing extract; separating a solid extracted plant material from the liquid protein-containing extract; clarifying the liquid protein-containing extract to form a clarified protein-containing extract and a solids fraction; and treating the clarified protein-containing extract so as to provide a protein-enriched material comprising at least about 60% protein by weight.

Protein-enriched tobacco-derived composition

The present disclosure relates to cellulose nanomaterials made or derived from tobacco and methods for the production thereof. The tobacco-derived cellulose nanomaterials can be employed in various industrial applications such as film forming applications and solution thickening technologies. In particular, the disclosure is directed to methods for preparing tobacco-derived cellulose nanomaterials using less fibrillation cycles than in the production of wood pulp. The invention includes a method for preparing tobacco derived nanocellulose material comprising receiving a tobacco pulp in a dilute form such that the tobacco pulp is a tobacco pulp suspension with a consistency of less than about 5%; and mechanically fibrillating the tobacco pulp suspension to generate a tobacco derived nanocellulose material having at least one average particle size dimension in the range of about 1 nm to about 100 nm.

Tobacco-derived nanocellulose material

Methods for producing dissolving grade pulp and microcrystalline cellulose from tobacco are provided. The methods include chemical pulping a tobacco input to form a tobacco pulp. Chemical pulping the tobacco input includes combining the tobacco input with a strong base defining a weight from about 5% to about 50% of the tobacco input, and heating the tobacco input and the strong base with an H-factor from about 500 to about 3,300. Further, the methods include bleaching the tobacco pulp to produce a dissolving grade pulp. Bleaching the tobacco pulp may include chlorination of the tobacco pulp with a chlorine dioxide solution, and caustic extraction of the tobacco pulp with a second strong base. A related tobacco-derived microcrystalline cellulose product is also provided, which can be used as a binder, a filler, and/or a texturizer in a tobacco product, such as a smokeless tobacco product.

Method for producing microcrystalline cellulose from tobacco and related tobacco product

A paper material is provided herein, wherein the paper material includes a fibrous material including at least 5 dry weight percent of fibers derived from a plant of thespecies; wherein the paper material has a basis weight ranging from about 5 g/mto about 450 g/m; and wherein the paper material has a caliper ranging from about 0.01 mils to about 200 mils. The paper material can be suitable for use in a smoking article in the form of at least one of a tipping material, a plug wrap and a wrapping material. The paper material can be suitable for use in at least one of a soft carton container suitable to house smoking articles, a label, a paper substrate of a barrier layer, a hard carton suitable to house smoking articles and a container suitable to house smokeless tobacco products.

Tobacco-derived cellulose material and products formed thereof

The present disclosure describes methods of obtaining and/or deriving a sugar-enriched extract from plants of thespecies and methods for incorporation of such extracts into various tobacco compositions. One exemplary method for preparing a sugar-enriched extract comprises contactingplant material with a solvent and extracting sugars into the solvent to form a liquid sugar-containing extract; separating a solid extracted plant material from the liquid sugar-containing extract; clarifying the liquid sugar-containing extract to form a clarified sugar-containing extract and a solids fraction; and isolating the liquid sugar-containing extract to provide a sugar-enriched extract comprising a combined weight of fructose and glucose of at least about 10% by dry weight. In certain embodiments, the sugars of the extract comprise at least about 50% by weight fructose.

Sugar-enriched extract derived from tobacco

An automated microwave sample digestion system is disclosed in which a focused microwave digestion system is operated under computer control in association with a computer controlled robotic positioning system such that sample tubes containing samples to be digested are loaded and unloaded into and out from the cooking cavities of the microwave digestion oven in a preprogrammed manner in order to both increase the efficiency of the processing of samples as well as to produce consistent operating conditions for each sample being digested. An additional pump and syringe line is provided for both washing the tube condenser utilized during the digestion process as well as for diluting the digested sample.

Automated focused microwave sample digestion system

Growing community of inventors

Lexington, NC, United States of America

Samuel Mark Debusk