Tobacco product carrying catalytically active material and its use in a smokers' article

Abstract

The tobacco product carries on its surface catalytically active material for improving the burning process. The catalytically active material is selected from the group of crystalline and non-crystalline oxides and hydroxides of aluminium, e.g. gibbsite, having a particle size of 1 to 100 μm and a specific surface of 75 to 250 m 2 /g. With the use of the catalyst in the tobacco, the amount of noxious compounds in the mainstream and sidestream smoke can be considerably reduced in the combustion process of the smokers' article during its consumption. The said tobacco product is useful for smoker's articles comprising a filter, a tobacco rod and a wrapper. In such articles the tobacco rod consists of the tobacco product.

1 . Tobacco product carrying on its surface catalytically active material for improving the burning process, wherein the catalytically active material is selected from the group of crystalline and non-crystalline oxides and hydroxides of aluminium.  
     
     
         2 . Tobacco product according to  claim 1  wherein the catalytically active material is bound to the surface, wherein the catalytically active material is preferably pressed into the tobacco surface so as to be bound without an adhesive in order to prevent the catalytically active material from being partially or completely inactivated by closed pores.  
     
     
         3 . Tobacco product according to  claim 1  or  2 , wherein the oxides and hydroxides of aluminium are acid or slightly acidic.  
     
     
         4 . Tobacco product according to  claim 1 , wherein the oxides and hydroxides of aluminium contain Fe in an amount of less than 3%.  
     
     
         5 . Tobacco product according to  claim 1 , wherein the catalytically active material comprises crystalline hydroxides of aluminium which contain silicon in an amount of less than 3%.  
     
     
         6 . Tobacco product according to  claim 1 , wherein the catalytically active material comprises amorphous hydroxides of aluminium which contain silicon in an amount of more than 3%.  
     
     
         7 . Tobacco product according to  claim 1 , wherein the catalytically active material is not highly crystalline.  
     
     
         8 . Tobacco product according to  claim 1 , wherein the catalytically active material comprises particles consisting of single crystals.  
     
     
         9 . Tobacco product according to  claim 1 , wherein the catalytically active material comprises a granulate consisting of agglomerates of crystals which are bound to each other with a binder.  
     
     
         10 . Tobacco product according to  claim 9 , wherein the binder is kaolinite.  
     
     
         11 . Tobacco product according to  claim 1 , wherein the catalytically active material comprises X-ray amorphous hydroxides of aluminium having a particle size in the range of 1-100 μm and a specific surface of up to 550 m 2 /g.  
     
     
         12 . Tobacco product according to  claim 1 , wherein the catalytically active material is selected from the compounds of the group alumina (Al-oxide), diaspore, natural or synthetic boehmite, natural or synthetic gibbsite, natural or synthetic doylite, natural or synthetic nordstrandite, natural or synthetic bayerite and hydrargillite.  
     
     
         13 . Tobacco product according to  claim 1 , wherein the particle size of the catalyst is in the range of 1-100 μm, and its specific surface is in the range of 75 to 250 m 2 /g.  
     
     
         14 . A smokers' article comprising a filter, a tobacco rod and a wrapper, wherein the tobacco rod consists of a tobacco product according to  claim 1  or  2 .  
     
     
         15 . Use of a catalytically active material comprising an oxide or hydroxide of aluminium for adding to the tobacco of a tobacco rod of a smokers' article for reducing the amount of noxious compounds in the mainstream and sidestream smoke in the combustion process of the smokers' article during its consumption.  
     
     
         16 . Use according to  claim 15 , wherein the catalytically active material is selected from the group consisting of alumina, diaspore, natural or synthetic boehmite, natural or synthetic gibbsite, natural or synthetic doylite, natural or synthetic nordstrandite, natural or synthetic bayerite and hydrargillite.  
     
     
         17 . Use according to  claim 16 , wherein the catalytically active materials comprise finely ground natural counterparts of oxides and hydroxides of aluminium and granulated using a binder such as kaolinite.