Substituted Cellulose Acetates and Uses Thereof

Abstract

The present invention relates to substituted cellulose acetates and methods of use thereof. One embodiment of the present invention provides a cigarette filter material having a filter having a substituted cellulose acetate having a polar substituent that has an oxygen atom covalently bonded to a nonmetal selected from the group of sulfur, phosphorus, boron, and chlorine; wherein the nonmetal is present in at least 0.01% by weight of the substituted cellulose acetate.

What is claimed: 
     
         1 . A cigarette filter material comprising:
 a filter comprising a cellulose diacetate and a substituted cellulose acetate comprising a polar substituent that comprises an oxygen atom covalently bonded to a nonmetal selected from the group consisting of: sulfur, phosphorus, boron, and chlorine; wherein the nonmetal is present in at least 0.01% by weight of the substituted cellulose acetate.   
     
     
         2 . The cigarette filter material of  claim 1  wherein the nonmetal is present in no more than about 25% by weight of the substituted cellulose acetate. 
     
     
         3 . The cigarette filter material of  claim 1  further comprising a plasticizer. 
     
     
         4 . The cigarette filter material of  claim 3  wherein the plasticizer comprises a plasticizer selected from the group consisting of: esters of saturated dibasic acids, esters of saturated polyhydric alcohols, fatty acid esters, and sulfonamide resins. 
     
     
         5 . The cigarette filter material of  claim 1  wherein the substituted cellulose acetate is a tow. 
     
     
         6 . A smoking device comprising:
 a smokeable substance; and   a cigarette filter comprising a cellulose diacetate and a substituted cellulose acetate filament comprising a polar substituent that comprises an oxygen atom covalently bonded to a nonmetal selected from the group consisting of: sulfur, phosphorus, boron, and chlorine; wherein the nonmetal is present in at least about 0.01% by weight of the substituted cellulose acetate.   
     
     
         7 . The smoking device of  claim 6  wherein the nonmetal is present in no more than about 25% by weight of the substituted cellulose acetate. 
     
     
         8 . The smoking device of  claim 6  wherein the smokeable substance is tobacco. 
     
     
         9 . The smoking device of  claim 8  wherein the tobacco has undergone a treatment comprising a treatment selected from the group consisting of: drying, fermenting, curing, cutting, and any combination of these. 
     
     
         10 . The smoking device of  claim 6  wherein the smoking device is a cigar, a pipe, a cigarette, or a vaporizer. 
     
     
         11 . A process for making a substituted cellulose acetate tow comprising:
 spinning a dope comprising a solution of cellulose diacetate; substituted cellulose acetate comprising a polar substituent that comprises an oxygen atom covalently bonded to a nonmetal selected from the group consisting of: sulfur, phosphorus, boron, and chlorine, wherein the nonmetal is present in at least about 0.01% by weight of the substituted cellulose acetate; and solvent;   taking-up the as-spun substituted cellulose acetate filaments;   forming a tow from the substituted cellulose acetate filaments;   crimping the tow;   conditioning the crimped tow; and   baling the dried crimped tow.   
     
     
         12 . The process of  claim 11  wherein the nonmetal is present in no more than about 25% by weight of the substituted cellulose acetate. 
     
     
         13 . The process of  claim 11  wherein the solvent is selected from the group consisting of: water, acetone, methylethyl ketone, methylene chloride, dioxane, dimethyl formamide, methanol, ethanol, glacial acetic acid, supercritical CO 2 , and any combination thereof. 
     
     
         14 . The process of  claim 11  wherein the substituted cellulose acetate is spun in a spinneret. 
     
     
         15 . The process of  claim 14  wherein the spinneret comprises holes. 
     
     
         16 . The process of  claim 11  further comprising the step of lubricating the substituted cellulose acetate filaments.