A Method of Forming a Foam for an Aerosol-Generating Article and a Foam Thereof

Abstract

An improved aeration of foam as well as a method of forming the foam for an aerosol-generating article includes (a) mixing an aerosol-forming agent, a foam-forming agent and optionally a solvent and/or at least one non-tobacco flavoring agent, preferably under heating; (b) adding to the mixture a tobacco-containing agent and/or an inhalable agent; (c) adding a foam-stabilizing agent; (d) cooling of the mixture; wherein the mixture is aerated after the adding of the foam-stabilizing agent and/or after cooling of the mixture, and wherein sodium bicarbonate is added to the mixture before cooling of the mixture, wherein the sodium bicarbonate content is less than 1 wt. % based on the total weight of the foam.

1 . A method of forming a foam for an aerosol-generating article, comprising
 mixing an aerosol-forming agent and a foam-forming agent to create a mixture;   adding to the mixture a tobacco-containing agent and/or an inhalable agent;   adding a foam-stabilizing agent; and   cooling the mixture;   wherein the mixture is aerated after the step of adding the foam-stabilizing agent and/or after the step of cooling the mixture, and   wherein sodium bicarbonate is added to the mixture before the step of cooling the mixture, wherein the sodium bicarbonate content is less than 1 wt. % based on a total weight of the foam.   
     
     
         2 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the sodium bicarbonate content is between about 0.25 wt. and 0.75 wt. % based on the total weight of the foam. 
     
     
         3 . The method according to  claim 1 , further comprising a step of adding a binder to the mixture. 
     
     
         4 . The method according to  claim 4 , wherein the binder content is less than 15 wt. % based on the total weight of the foam. 
     
     
         5 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the foam-stabilizing agent has a viscosity between 300 mPas and 3000 mPas. 
     
     
         6 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the foam-forming agent has a gel strength between 300 g/cm 3  and 3000 g/cm 3 , and/or
 wherein the foam-forming agent has a viscosity between 300 mPas and 3000 mPas.   
     
     
         7 . A foam comprising:
 a tobacco-containing agent and/or an inhalable agent, an aerosol-forming agent, a foam-forming agent, sodium bicarbonate, and a foam stabilizing agent,   wherein a weight of the tobacco-containing agent and/or the inhalable agent is 0.1-33 wt. % of a weight of the foam,   wherein a weight of the aerosol-forming agent is 10-80 wt. % of the weight of the foam, and   wherein a weight of the sodium bicarbonate is less than 1 wt. % based on the total weight of the foam.   
     
     
         8 . The foam according to  claim 7 , wherein the weight of the sodium bicarbonate is between 0.25 wt. % and 0.75 wt. % based on the total weight of the foam. 
     
     
         9 . The foam according to  claim 7 , wherein the foam has a pore volume of at least 5 vol. % based on the total volume of the foam. 
     
     
         10 . The foam according to  claim 7 , wherein the foam-forming agent is a non-protein containing polysaccharide, and a weight of the foam-forming agent is less than 20 wt. % of the total weight of the foam. 
     
     
         11 . The foam according to  claim 7 , further comprising a solvent and/or an acid and/or an ester in an amount of up to 15 wt.-% based on the total weight of the foam. 
     
     
         12 . The foam according to  claim 7 , wherein the foam is an open pored foam. 
     
     
         13 . The foam according to  claim 7 , wherein
 at least 20% of bubbles in the foam have a diameter between 25 μm and 50 μm, and/or   at least 15% of the bubbles have a diameter between 51 μm and 100 μm, and/or   at least 11% of the bubbles have a diameter between 101 μm and 171 μm.   
     
     
         14 . The foam according to  claim 7 , further comprising a binder, wherein the binder content is less than 15 wt. % based on the total weight of the foam. 
     
     
         15 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the step of mixing includes mixing a solvent and/or at least one non-tobacco flavoring agent into the mixture. 
     
     
         16 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the step of mixing is carried out under heating. 
     
     
         17 . The foam according to  claim 7 , wherein the foam has an aeration of between 12 and 20 vol. % based on the total volume of the foam.