Corrugated catalytic cigarette paper and cigarettes comprising the same

Abstract

A catalyst-modified corrugated cigarette paper wrapper comprises a fibrous web, an optional web-filler material supported by the web, and catalyst particles supported by the web and/or the web-filler material. In cigarettes comprising the catalyst-modified corrugated cigarette paper, the corrugations define axially-extending channels that can run the length of a tobacco rod. The corrugations can increase the catalytic efficiency of catalyst particles that are incorporated within the catalyst-modified corrugated cigarette paper wrapper.

1 . A cigarette comprising: 
 a tobacco rod wrapped in a cigarette wrapper, wherein the cigarette wrapper comprises    a catalyst-modified corrugated cigarette paper wrapper comprises a fibrous web,    an optional web-filler material supported by the fibrous web, and    catalyst particles supported by the fibrous web and/or the web-filler material.    
   
   
       2 . The cigarette of  claim 1 , wherein the catalyst-modified corrugated cigarette paper wrapper 
 comprises a plurality of channels that run axially along the length of the cigarette; and/or    is formed around a gas permeable inner wrapper.    
   
   
       3 . The cigarette of  claim 1 , wherein the catalyst-modified corrugated cigarette paper wrapper is wrapped by a non-corrugated paper wrapper together forming a composite wrapper.  
   
   
       4 . The cigarette of  claim 3 , wherein the non-corrugated paper wrapper 
 is substantially free of catalyst particles; or    incorporates catalyst particles on an inner surface of the non-corrugated paper wrapper in an amount effective for reducing the concentration of carbon monoxide and/or nitric oxide in mainstream smoke during smoking of the cigarette.    
   
   
       5 . The cigarette of  claim 1 , wherein the catalyst particles 
 have an average particle size of less than about 500 nanometer; and/or    comprise a transition metal oxide, a transition metal hydroxide, and/or a transition metal oxyhydroxide.    
   
   
       6 . A catalyst-modified corrugated cigarette paper comprising: 
 a fibrous web;    an optional web-filler material supported by the fibrous web; and    catalyst particles supported by the fibrous web and/or the web-filler material.    
   
   
       7 . The catalyst-modified corrugated cigarette paper of  claim 6 , wherein the catalyst particles 
 are coated on an exposed surface of the catalyst-modified corrugated cigarette paper; and/or    are supported within the fibrous web of the catalyst-modified corrugated cigarette paper.    
   
   
       8 . The catalyst-modified corrugated cigarette paper of  claim 6 , wherein the catalyst particles have an average particle size of less than about 500 nanometers; or less than about 50 nanometers.  
   
   
       9 . The catalyst-modified corrugated cigarette paper of  claim 6 , wherein the catalyst particles comprise a transition metal oxide, a transition metal hydroxide, a transition metal oxyhydroxide, iron oxide, and/or iron hydroxide.  
   
   
       10 . The catalyst-modified corrugated cigarette paper of  claim 6 , wherein the web filler material is not optional and comprises calcium carbonate.  
   
   
       11 . The catalyst-modified corrugated cigarette paper of  claim 6  having corrugations that are uniformly spaced at a distance less than their height, from peak to valley.  
   
   
       12 . The catalyst-modified corrugated cigarette paper of  claim 6 , wherein the paper has a permeability of between about 5 and 80 Coresta units.  
   
   
       13 . A method of making a cigarette containing a catalyst-modified corrugated cigarette paper wrapper, the method comprising: 
 (i) optionally supporting catalyst particles on a web-filler material to form a catalyst-modified web-filler;    (ii) incorporating catalyst particles and/or catalyst-modified web-filler in the cigarette paper to form a catalytic cigarette paper;    (iii) forming corrugations in the cigarette paper to form a corrugated cigarette paper;    (iv) providing a cut filler comprising tobacco to a cigarette-making machine; and    (v) placing the corrugated cigarette paper around the cut filler to form a tobacco rod portion of the cigarette.    
   
   
       14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the corrugated cigarette paper is a first wrapper and the method further comprises (vi) placing a non-corrugated second wrapper around the first wrapper; or 
 the corrugated cigarette paper is a second wrapper and the method further comprises (vi) placing a first gas permeable wrapper around the cut filler prior to step (v).    
   
   
       15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the second wrapper 
 is free of catalyst particles; or    incorporates catalyst particles on an inner surface of the second wrapper.    
   
   
       16 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the catalyst particles comprise nanoscale particles.  
   
   
       17 . A method of manufacturing catalyst-modified corrugated cigarette paper, the method comprising: 
 (i) forming cigarette paper;    (ii) forming corrugations in the cigarette paper; and    (iii) incorporating catalyst particles with the cigarette paper.    
   
   
       18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein step (ii) precedes step (iii); or step (iii) precedes step (ii).  
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the incorporating comprises spraying or printing the catalyst particles on the cigarette paper.  
   
   
       20 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the steps of forming cigarette paper and incorporating catalyst particles in the cigarette paper comprise: 
 supplying cellulosic material and catalyst particles to a head box in a forming section of a papermaking machine, the catalyst particles comprising unsupported catalyst particles and/or catalyst modified web-filler;    depositing an aqueous slurry including the cellulosic material and the catalyst particles onto the forming section of the paper-making machine to form a base web with the catalyst particles distributed therein; and    removing water from the base web so as to form a sheet of catalytic paper.    
   
   
       21 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the steps of forming cigarette paper and incorporating catalyst,particles in the cigarette paper comprise: 
 supplying cellulosic material to a head box in a forming section of a papermaking machine;    depositing an aqueous slurry including the cellulosic material onto the forming section of the papermaking machine to form a base web;    distributing catalyst particles on the base web; and    removing water from the base web so as to form a sheet of catalyst-modified paper.    
   
   
       22 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the catalyst particles are supported directly on the paper cigarette.