Filtered smoking article

Abstract

A filtered cigarette possesses a filter element incorporating activated carbon particles. A preferred filter element incorporates a filter material such as cellulose acetate tow, and that tow is plasticized using triacetin. A mixture of propylene glycol and triacetin is contacted with the activated carbon particles, and those particles so treated are incorporated into the filter element. Alternatively, a mixture of propylene glycol and triacetin is incorporated within the filter element, and a portion of that mixture is in contact with at least a portion of the activated carbon particles.

1 . A cigarette comprising: 
 (a) a tobacco rod having a smokable filler material contained within a circumscribing wrapping material;    (b) a filter element connected to the tobacco rod at one end of the tobacco rod, said filter element incorporating filter material and having an end proximal to the tobacco rod and an end distal from the tobacco rod;    (c) a carbonaceous material incorporated within the filter element; and    (d) an intimate mixture of a polyol ester and a polyol incorporated within the filter element, at least a portion thereof in contact with the carbonaceous material.    
     
     
         2 . A cigarette comprising: 
 (a) a tobacco rod having a smokable filler material contained within a circumscribing wrapping material;    (b) a filter element connected to the tobacco rod at one end of the tobacco rod, said filter element incorporating filter material and having an end proximal to the tobacco rod and an end distal from the tobacco rod;    (c) a carbonaceous material incorporated within the filter element; and    (d) an intimate mixture of a polyol ester and a polyol in contact with at least a portion of the carbonaceous material.    
     
     
         3 . The cigarette of  claim 1 , wherein the intimate mixture includes triacetin and propylene glycol.  
     
     
         4 . The cigarette of  claim 1 , wherein the carbonaceous material is disposed within the filter element in a region composed of cellulose acetate tow plasticized using triacetin.  
     
     
         5 . The cigarette of  claim 1 , wherein the carbonaceous material comprises activated carbon particles incorporated within the filter element in a region composed of cellulose acetate tow plasticized using triacetin, and the cellulose acetate tow is circumscribed on its longitudinal periphery by plug wrap.  
     
     
         6 . The cigarette of  claim 2 , wherein the intimate mixture includes triacetin and propylene glycol.  
     
     
         7 . The cigarette of  claim 2 , wherein the carbonaceous material is disposed within the filter element in a region composed of cellulose acetate tow plasticized using triacetin.  
     
     
         8 . The cigarette of  claim 2 , wherein the carbonaceous material comprises activated carbon particles incorporated within the filter element in a region composed of cellulose acetate tow plasticized using triacetin, and the cellulose acetate tow is circumscribed on its longitudinal periphery by plug wrap.  
     
     
         9 . The cigarette of  claim 1 , wherein the carbonaceous material is in particulate form having a particle size between about 10 Mesh and about 400 Mesh, and wherein the carbonaceous material is present in an amount of between about 20 mg and about 500 mg.  
     
     
         10 . The cigarette of  claim 2 , wherein the carbonaceous material is in particulate form having a particle size between about 10 Mesh and about 400 Mesh, and wherein the carbonaceous material is present in an amount of between about 20 mg and about 500 mg.  
     
     
         11 . The cigarette of  claim 1 , wherein the weight ratio of polyol to polyol ester in the mixture is between about 1:3 and about 25:1.  
     
     
         12 . The cigarette of  claim 11 , wherein the weight ratio of polyol to polyol ester in the mixture is between about 2:1 and about 10:1.  
     
     
         13 . The cigarette of  claim 1 , wherein the polyol is present in an amount of between about 1 percent and about 25 percent based on the combined weight of the carbonaceous material and the polyol in the mixture.  
     
     
         14 . The cigarette of  claim 13 , wherein the polyol is present in an amount of between about 7 percent and about 15 percent based on the combined weight of the carbonaceous material and the polyol in the mixture.  
     
     
         15 . The cigarette of  claim 2 , wherein the weight ratio of polyol to polyol ester in the mixture is between about 1:3 and about 25:1.  
     
     
         16 . The cigarette of  claim 15 , wherein the weight ratio of polyol to polyol ester in the mixture is between about 2:1 and about 10:1.  
     
     
         17 . The cigarette of  claim 2 , wherein the polyol is present in an amount of between about 1 percent and about 25 percent based on the combined weight of the carbonaceous material and the polyol in the mixture.  
     
     
         18 . The cigarette of  claim 17 , wherein the polyol is present in an amount of between about 1 percent and about 25 percent based on the combined weight of the carbonaceous material and the polyol in the mixture.  
     
     
         19 . A cigarette comprising a filter, wherein the filter comprises a plasticized cellulose acetate tow and a carbonaceous material in particulate form, wherein the carbonaceous material is in contact with an intimate mixture of a polyol ester and a polyol.  
     
     
         20 . The cigarette of  claim 19 , wherein the weight ratio of polyol to polyol ester in the mixture is between about 2:1 and about 10:1.  
     
     
         21 . The cigarette of  claim 19 , wherein the polyol is present in an amount of between about 7 percent and about 15 percent based on the combined weight of the carbonaceous material and the polyol in the mixture.  
     
     
         22 . The cigarette of  claim 19 , wherein the polyol is glycerin or propylene glycol and the polyol ester is triacetin.  
     
     
         23 . The cigarette of  claim 19 , wherein the plasticizer of the plasticized cellulose acetate tow comprises triacetin.  
     
     
         24 . A method of improving gas phase filtration performance of a carbonaceous material in a smoking article, comprising treating the carbonaceous material with an intimate mixture of a polyol and a polyol ester.  
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 24 , wherein the polyol comprises at least one of glycerin and propylene glycol, and the polyol ester comprises a glycerin ester.