Method of Manufacturing Smoking Article With Activated Carbon Sorbent and Sodium Bicarbonate-Treated Fibers

Abstract

Filters and smoking articles include sodium bicarbonate-treated fibers and activated carbon capable of selectively removing one or more selected constituents from mainstream smoke. Methods for making cigarette filters and cigarettes using the sodium bicarbonate-treated fibers and activated carbon, and methods for treating mainstream smoke comprising the sodium bicarbonate-treated fibers and activated carbon are also provided.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of manufacturing a cigarette filter, comprising: arranging activated carbon between a mouth end and an upstream end of the cigarette filter; and arranging sodium bicarbonate-treated fibers between the activated carbon and the mouth end. 
     
     
         2 . The method of manufacturing the cigarette filter of  claim 1 , wherein the sodium bicarbonate-treated fibers are of cellulose tow, cellulose acetate tow, mono cellulose, mono acetate, propylene, polyester, polysulfone or polypropylene. 
     
     
         3 . The method of manufacturing the cigarette filter of  claim 1 , wherein the filter contains from about 50 mg to about 250 mg of activated carbon and the sodium bicarbonate-treated fibers contain a total of from about 5 mg to about 100 mg of sodium bicarbonate. 
     
     
         4 . The method of manufacturing the cigarette filter of  claim 1 , wherein the sodium bicarbonate-treated fibers contain about 5 mg to about 30 mg of sodium bicarbonate. 
     
     
         5 . The method of manufacturing the cigarette filter of  claim 1 , wherein the sodium bicarbonate-treated fibers contain about 5 mg to about 15 mg of sodium bicarbonate, the sodium bicarbonate-treated fibers having been prepared by applying a solution containing dissolved sodium bicarbonate to cellulose acetate tow fibers, forming the treated fibers into a plug, and drying the plug. 
     
     
         6 . The method of manufacturing the cigarette filter of  claim 1 , wherein the activated carbon is in the form of fibers having a length of from about 100 microns to about 1000 microns, and a diameter of from about 10 microns to about 25 microns. 
     
     
         7 . The method of manufacturing the cigarette filter of  claim 6 , wherein the activated carbon is at least one monolithic body. 
     
     
         8 . The method of manufacturing the cigarette filter of  claim 1 , wherein the sodium bicarbonate-treated fibers are located adjacent the activated carbon. 
     
     
         9 . The method of manufacturing the cigarette filter of  claim 1 , further comprising arranging a flavoring section between the sodium bicarbonate-treated fibers and the mouth end, and/or between the activated carbon and the sodium bicarbonate-treated fibers. 
     
     
         10 . The method of manufacturing the cigarette filter of  claim 1 , wherein the sodium bicarbonate-treated fibers are present in an amount effective to remove at least a portion of at least one sulfur-containing compound from mainstream smoke in the filter during smoking of a tobacco rod attached to the cigarette filter. 
     
     
         11 . A method of manufacturing a cigarette, comprising: attaching a tobacco column to a cigarette filter with tipping paper, the cigarette filter comprising a mouth end, activated carbon, and sodium bicarbonate-treated fibers located between the activated carbon and the mouth end. 
     
     
         12 . The method of manufacturing the cigarette of  claim 11 , wherein the sodium bicarbonate-treated fibers are of cellulose tow, cellulose acetate tow, mono cellulose, mono acetate, propylene, polyester, polysulfone or polypropylene. 
     
     
         13 . The method of manufacturing the cigarette of  claim 11 , wherein the filter contains from about 50 mg to about 250 mg of activated carbon and the sodium bicarbonate-treated fibers contain a total of from about 5 mg to about 100 mg of sodium bicarbonate, the sodium bicarbonate-treated fibers having been prepared by applying a solution containing dissolved sodium bicarbonate to cellulose acetate tow fibers, forming the treated fibers into a plug, and drying the plug. 
     
     
         14 . The method of manufacturing the cigarette of  claim 11 , wherein the activated carbon is in the form of fibers having a length of from about 100 microns to about 1000 microns, and a diameter of from about 10 microns to about 25 microns. 
     
     
         15 . The method of manufacturing the cigarette of  claim 11 , wherein the activated carbon is at least one monolithic body or the sodium bicarbonate-treated fibers are located adjacent the activated carbon. 
     
     
         16 . The method of manufacturing the cigarette of  claim 11 , further comprising arranging a flavoring section between the sodium bicarbonate-treated fibers and the mouth end of the filter and/or between the activated carbon and the sodium bicarbonate-treated fibers. 
     
     
         17 . The method of manufacturing the cigarette of  claim 11 , wherein the sodium bicarbonate-treated fibers are effective to remove at least a portion of least one sulfur-containing compound in the cigarette. 
     
     
         18 . A method of manufacturing a cigarette, comprising: applying a solution of dissolved sodium bicarbonate to fiber surfaces to form treated fibers; forming the treated fibers into a discrete section of sodium bicarbonate-treated fibers; arranging the discrete section of sodium bicarbonate-treated fibers in a cigarette filter; placing a paper wrapper around a tobacco column; and attaching the cigarette filter to the tobacco column to form the cigarette. 
     
     
         19 . The method of manufacturing the cigarette of  claim 18 , further comprising arranging a discrete sorbent section comprising activated carbon upstream of the discrete section of sodium bicarbonate-treated fibers; and arranging a discrete flavoring section downstream of the discrete sorbent section. 
     
     
         20 . The method of manufacturing the cigarette of  claim 18 , wherein the discrete sorbent section comprises carbon fibers.