Cigarette components having encapsulated catalyst particles and methods of making and use thereof

Abstract

Encapsulated catalyst particles can be incorporated in tobacco cut filler and/or cigarette paper used to form a cigarette. The encapsulated catalyst particles, which can decrease carbon monoxide and/or nitric oxide in mainstream tobacco smoke, comprise catalyst particles that are encapsulated with a volatile coating. During the smoking of a cigarette comprising the encapsulated catalyst particles, the volatile coating is volatilized to expose an active surface of the catalyst particles.

1 . A component of a cigarette comprising encapsulated catalyst particles capable of decreasing carbon monoxide and/or nitric oxide in mainstream tobacco smoke, wherein the catalyst particles are at least partially coated with a volatile encapsulant, and wherein the component is selected from the group consisting of tobacco cut filler, cigarette paper and cigarette filter.  
   
   
       2 . The component of  claim 1 , wherein: (a) the catalyst particles are fully coated with the volatile encapsulant; (b) the catalyst particles comprise an elemental metal, alloy, oxide and/or oxyhydroxide of at least one element selected from the group consisting of Mg, Al, Si, Ti, V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, Ge, Y, Zr, Nb, Mo, Ru, Ag, Sn, Ce, Pr, La, Hf, Ta, W, Re, Os, Ir and Au; (c) the catalyst particles comprise an oxide and/or oxyhydroxide of manganese, iron, copper or cerium; (d) the catalyst particles comprise nanoscale particles; and/or (e) the catalyst particles have an average particle size of less than about 100 nm or less than about 50 nm.  
   
   
       3 . The component of  claim 1 , wherein the volatile encapsulant comprises: (a) a wax, a water-soluble polymer or a water insoluble polymer; (b) a wax selected from the group consisting of beeswax, coconut wax, candelilla wax, carnauba wax, montan wax, ouricury wax, paraffin wax, rice wax and mixtures thereof; (c) a water-soluble polymer selected from the group consisting of polyvinyl alcohol, polyvinyl pyrrolidone, polyethylene oxides, water-soluble polyamides, water soluble polyesters, water soluble celluloses, acrylic acid polymers, starches, dextrins, gums, gelatins, pectin, alginates, gum arabic and mixtures thereof; and/or (d) a water insoluble polymer selected from the group consisting of polyethylene, polypropylene, polyacrylates, polymethacrylates, polymethyl-methacrylates, polyvinyl chloride, polyvinylidene chloride, polysaccharides and mixtures thereof.  
   
   
       4 . The component of  claim 1 , wherein: (a) the volatile encapsulant has a volatilization temperature of between about 40° C. and 350° C.; (b) the volatile encapsulant is adapted to volatilize in an atmosphere having a relative humidity of greater than about 5%; (c) the volatile encapsulant comprises a first layer in contact with the catalyst particles and a second layer formed over the first layer; and/or (d) the volatile encapsulant comprises a first layer comprising a flavor-bearing compound and a second layer formed over the first layer.  
   
   
       5 . The component of  claim 1 , wherein the volatile encapsulant comprises a flavor-bearing compound.  
   
   
       6 . The component of  claim 5 , wherein the flavor-bearing compound comprises menthol, a menthol derivative, a menthol precursor, or a mixture thereof.  
   
   
       7 . The component of  claim 5 , wherein the flavor-bearing compound comprises a synthetic fragrance, a natural fragrance, an essential oil, an aldehyde, an alcohol, an ester, a ketone, a phenol or mixture thereof.  
   
   
       8 . The component of  claim 1 , wherein the catalyst particles are capable of acting as a catalyst for the conversion of carbon monoxide to carbon dioxide and/or nitric oxide to nitrogen, an oxidant for the conversion of carbon monoxide to carbon dioxide and as a reducing agent for the conversion of nitric oxide to nitrogen.  
   
   
       9 . A cigarette comprising a tobacco rod, cigarette paper and an optional filter, wherein at least one of the tobacco rod, cigarette paper and filter comprise encapsulated catalyst particles capable of decreasing carbon monoxide and/or nitric oxide in mainstream tobacco smoke, wherein the catalyst particles are at least partially coated with a volatile encapsulant.  
   
   
       10 . The cigarette of  claim 9 , wherein: (a) the volatile encapsulant is adapted to volatilize during the smoking of a cigarette to expose an active surface of the catalyst particles; and/or (b) the volatile encapsulant is adapted to thermally or chemically degrade during the smoking of the cigarette to expose a surface of the catalyst particles.  
   
   
       11 . The cigarette of  claim 9 , wherein the catalyst particles are fully coated with the volatile encapsulant.  
   
   
       12 . The cigarette of  claim 9 , wherein: (a) the encapsulated catalyst particles are incorporated in an amount effective to convert at least 5% of the carbon monoxide in mainstream tobacco smoke to carbon dioxide and/or convert at least 5% of the nitric oxide in mainstream tobacco smoke to nitrogen; (b) the total amount of the encapsulated catalyst particles in the cigarette is up to about 200 mg per cigarette; and/or (c) the encapsulated catalyst particles are homogeneously or non-homogeneously distributed along the length of a tobacco rod.  
   
   
       13 . The cigarette of  claim 9 , wherein: (a) the cigarette paper comprises a wrapper having a first layer and a second layer formed around the first layer, and wherein the encapsulated catalyst particles are incorporated in the first layer; and/or (b) the cigarette paper comprises a wrapper and the encapsulated catalyst particles are coated and/or printed on at least one surface of the wrapper.  
   
   
       14 . The cigarette of  claim 9 , wherein the cigarette comprises a mixture of different encapsulated catalyst particles.  
   
   
       15 . A method of making a cigarette comprising: (i) incorporating encapsulated catalyst particles in and/or on at least one of tobacco cut filler, cigarette filter and a cigarette wrapper; (ii) providing the tobacco cut filler to a cigarette making machine to form a tobacco column; and (iii) placing the cigarette wrapper around the tobacco column to form a tobacco rod of a cigarette; and (iv) optionally attaching the cigarette filter to the tobacco column using tipping paper.  
   
   
       16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the incorporating comprises spraying, dusting or immersion.  
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the encapsulated catalyst particles are incorporated in the cigarette paper by spraying or coating the encapsulated catalyst particles onto a wet base web, intermediate web or finished web.  
   
   
       18 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the step of incorporating comprises combining the encapsulated catalyst particles and at least one of the tobacco cut filler and cigarette wrapper in the absence of a liquid.  
   
   
       19 . A method of treating tobacco smoke produced by the cigarette of  claim 9 , comprising lighting the cigarette to form tobacco smoke and drawing the smoke through the cigarette, wherein the volatile encapsulant at least partially volatilizes to expose a surface of the catalyst particles.  
   
   
       20 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein (a) the volatile encapsulant is volatilized at a distance of from about 0.1 mm to 10 mm in advance of the charline; (b) the catalyst particles decrease carbon monoxide and/or nitric oxide in the tobacco smoke drawn through the cigarette; and/or (c) the volatile encapsulant contributes one or more flavors to the tobacco smoke.