Philip Morris USA Inc.

Virginia Commonwealth University

Philip Morris Products S.a.

Zhihao Shen

Georgios D Karles

Diane L Gee

Manuel Marquez

Mark A McHugh

Samuel Isaac Ogle

Munmaya K Mishra

Jose Nepomuceno

Gary S Huvard

Joseph L Banyasz

Jon A Regrut

William D Thweatt

A large variety of electrospun fibers can be produced to encapsulate a large variety of additives within the subcompartments or substructures of the manufactured electrospun fiber. Furthermore, the manufactured electrospun fibers can be electrostatically arranged within a filter component of a smoking article during the manufacturing process. By modifying the various parameters that control the electrospinning process, a diverse set of electrospun fibers can be manufactured that vary in composition, in substructural organization, and in dimension. The electrospun fiber produced by electrospinning comprises at least one type of polymeric material that encapsulates or supports the retention of at least one type of a flavorant or a non-flavorant within the electrospun fiber. A polymeric material provides a supporting structure for encapsulating at least one type of a flavorant or a non-flavorant. The electrospun fibers that can be produced by various electrospinning processes described below include microfibers in a micro-scaled range, nanofibers in a nano-scaled range, and various mixtures of microfibers and nanofibers.

Smoking articles enhanced to deliver additives incorporated within electrospun microfibers and nonofibers, and related methods

A large variety of electroprocessed capsules can be produced to encapsulate a variety of additives within the subcompartments or substructures of the manufactured capsule. Furthermore, the manufactured capsules can be arranged within a filter of a smoking article during the manufacturing process. By modifying the various parameters that control the electrospraying or electrospinning processes, capsules can be manufactured that vary in composition, in substructural organization, and in dimension. A capsule produced by electrospraying comprises at least one polymeric material that encapsulates or supports the retention of at least one flavorant and/or non-flavorant within the capsule. A polymeric material provides a supporting structure for encapsulating at least one flavorant and/or non-flavorant additive. The capsules that can be produced by various electrospraying processes described below include microcapsules in a micro-scaled range, nanocapsules in a nano-scaled range, and various mixtures of microcapsules and nanocapsules.

Smoking articles enhanced to deliver additives incorporated within electroprocessed microcapsules and nanocapsules, and related methods

Fibrous material suitable for incorporation into filter elements of smoking articles such as cigarettes are impregnated with additives and agents such as flavorants, flavorant-enhancers and/or free radical scavengers. The fibrous material is contacted with the additive dispersed in a high pressure gas or supercritical fluid (SCF) held at elevated pressures. The high pressure gas or SCF swells the fibrous matrix and enables the additive to be incorporated within the matrix. When pressure is reduced, the gas or SCF vaporizes and leaves the additive embedded in the fiber interstices. As a result, the additive is slowly released over a finite period of time. When incorporated into a cigarette filter, the additive is released at a desired rate from the interior of the fibrous filter into the cigarette smoke.

Cigarette filters

A process of making fibers by electrostatic spinning includes the use of a mixing vessel (), a piston () for pressurizing the polymer, carbon dioxide sources () for lowering the viscosity of the polymer or pressurizing the collection vessel (), a pressure generator (), view ports (), a target (), a spinning needle (), a camera/TV recorder () and a voltage source ().

Method of producing fibers by electrospinning at high pressures

Growing community of inventors

Richmond, VA, United States of America

Zhihao Shen