Aerosol generation

Abstract

An amorphous solid and related methods of making an amorphous solid including: (a) forming a slurry having: 0.5-60 wt % of a gelling agent; 5-80 wt % of an aerosol forming material; and 0-60 wt % of an active constituent and/or flavorant; wherein these weights are calculated on a dry weight basis; (b) shaping the slurry; (c) applying a setting agent to a surface of the slurry so that the slurry sets to form a gel; and (d) drying the gel to form an amorphous solid; wherein the amorphous solid has a substantially constant concentration of setting agent throughout.

1 . A method of making an amorphous solid comprising:
 (a) forming a slurry comprising:
 0.5-60 wt % of a gelling agent; 
 5-80 wt % of an aerosol forming material; and 
 0-60 wt % of an active constituent and/or flavorant; 
   wherein these weights are calculated on a dry weight basis;   (b) shaping the slurry;   (c) applying a setting agent to a surface of the slurry so that the slurry sets to form a gel; and   (d) drying the gel to form an amorphous solid;   wherein the amorphous solid has a substantially constant concentration of setting agent throughout.   
     
     
         2 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein the setting agent comprises calcium. 
     
     
         3 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein applying the setting agent comprises spraying the setting agent onto the slurry. 
     
     
         4 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein the setting agent comprises calcium and is provided in an aqueous solution, and wherein the calcium concentration in the aqueous solution is between about 0.2 and 0.8 mol·dm −3 . 
     
     
         5 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein the total amount of setting agent added to the slurry is from 0.5-5 wt %, calculated on a dry weight basis based on the slurry weight. 
     
     
         6 . A method according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the setting agent comprises calcium, and   wherein the amount of setting agent applied to the slurry is such that the amount of calcium applied is about 0.3X to 0.45X mmol per kilogram of slurry, where X is the weight percentage solids content of the slurry (wet weight basis).   
     
     
         7 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein the shaping the slurry comprises forming a layer of the slurry. 
     
     
         8 . A method according to  claim 7 , wherein applying the setting agent to the slurry comprises spraying the setting agent onto a top surface of the layer. 
     
     
         9 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein the drying comprises heating the gel to a temperature in the range of about 80° C. to about 140° C. for a period of less than 60 minutes. 
     
     
         10 . A method according to  claim 9 , wherein the drying comprises flowing air over the gel, wherein the air temperature is in the range of about 80° C. to about 140° C., for a period of less than 60 minutes. 
     
     
         11 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein the shaping comprises shaping the slurry on a thermally-conductive support, and wherein the drying comprises heating the thermally-conductive support. 
     
     
         12 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein the drying removes 50-95 wt % (WWB) of water in the slurry. 
     
     
         13 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein the resulting amorphous solid comprises from about 1 wt % to about 15 wt % water, calculated on a wet weight basis. 
     
     
         14 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein the shaping comprises forming a layer of the slurry, wherein the layer has a thickness of less than about 4 mm. 
     
     
         15 . A method according to  claim 14 , wherein the thickness of the layer is in the range of about 1 mm to about 3 mm, suitably about 1.5 mm to about 2.5 mm. 
     
     
         16 . A method according to  claim 14 , wherein the drying results in an amorphous solid which has a thickness that is between about 5% and 20% of the thickness of the layer. 
     
     
         17 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein a carrier is provided and the shaping the slurry comprises shaping the slurry on the carrier. 
     
     
         18 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein the slurry comprises 10-60 wt % of the active constituent and/or flavorant. 
     
     
         19 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein the gelling agent is selected from pectins, alginates and mixtures thereof. 
     
     
         20 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein the aerosol forming material is selected from erythritol, propylene glycol, glycerol and mixtures thereof. 
     
     
         21 . An amorphous solid, obtainable or obtained by a method according to  claim 1 . 
     
     
         22 . An amorphous solid comprising:
 0.5-60 wt % of a gelling agent;   5-80 wt % of an aerosol forming material;   a setting agent; and   0-60 wt % of an active constituent and/or flavorant;   wherein these weights are calculated on a dry weight basis;   wherein the amorphous solid has a substantially constant concentration of setting agent throughout.   
     
     
         23 . An article for use within a non-combustible aerosol provision system, the article comprising an amorphous solid according to  claim 21 . 
     
     
         24 . A non-combustible aerosol provision system comprising the article according to  claim 23  and a non-combustible aerosol provision device, the non-combustible aerosol provision device comprising an aerosol-generation device to generate aerosol from the article when the article is used with the non-combustible aerosol provision device.