Vapor-generating article containing cellulose ester film

Abstract

A vapor-generating article comprises a plurality of segments assembled in the form of a rod. The segments include a vapor-forming segment and a vapor-cooling segment located downstream of the vapor-forming segment within the rod. The vapor-cooling segment comprises a crimped cellulose ester (CE) film. The crimped CE film may comprise cellulose acetate propionate, perforations, or both.

1 . A vapor-generating article comprising a plurality of segments assembled in the form of a rod,
 wherein the segments comprise a vapor-forming segment and a vapor-cooling segment located downstream of the vapor-forming segment within the rod,   wherein the vapor-cooling segment comprises a crimped cellulose ester (CE) film, and   wherein the CE film comprises cellulose acetate propionate.   
     
     
         2 . The article of  claim 1 , wherein the CE film comprises up to 10 wt %, 0.1 to 10 wt %, 1 to 10 wt %, 5 to 10 wt %, less than 0.5 wt %, less than 0.4 wt %, less than 0.3 wt %, less than 0.2 wt %, or less than 0.1 wt % of a plasticizer, based on the total weight of the CE film. 
     
     
         3 . The article of  claim 1 , wherein the CE film comprises no plasticizer. 
     
     
         4 . The article of  claim 1 , wherein the CE film further comprises cellulose acetate. 
     
     
         5 . The article of  claim 1 , wherein the CE film comprises 5 to 65, 10 to 65, 15 to 65, 20 to 65, 5 to 60, 10 to 60, 15 to 60, 20 to 60, 5 to 55, 10 to 55, 15 to 55, 20 to 55, 5 to 50, 10 to 50, 15 to 50, 20 to 50, 5 to 45, 10 to 45, 15 to 45, 20 to 45, 5 to 40, 10 to 40, 15 to 40, 20 to 40, 5 to 35, 10 to 35, 15 to 35, 20 to 35, 5 to 30, 10 to 30, 15 to 30, 20 to 30, 5 to 25, 10 to 25, 15 to 25, 20 to 25, 5 to 20, 10 to 20, or 15 to 20 crimps per inch (CPI). 
     
     
         6 . The article of  claim 1 , wherein the CE film comprises crimps having a height of 0.01 to 3 mm, or 0.1 to 2 mm. 
     
     
         7 . The article of  claim 1 , wherein the CE film has a thickness of 10 to 150 μm, 10 to 125 μm, 10 to 100 μm, 10 to 75 μm, 10 to 70 μm, 10 to 60 μm, 10 to 50 μm, 10 to 40 μm, 10 to 30 μm, 10 to 20 μm, 20 to 150 μm, 20 to 125 μm, 20 to 100 μm, 20 to 75 μm, 20 to 70 μm, 20 to 60 μm, 20 to 50 μm, 20 to 40 μm, 20 to 30 μm, 30 to 150 μm, 30 to 125 μm, 30 to 100 μm, 30 to 75 μm, 30 to 70 μm, 30 to 60 μm, 30 to 50 μm, 30 to 40 μm, 40 to 150 μm, 40 to 125 μm, 40 to 100 μm, 40 to 75 μm, 40 to 70 μm, 40 to 60 μm, 40 to 50 μm, 50 to 150 μm, 50 to 125 μm, 50 to 100 μm, 50 to 75 μm, 50 to 70 μm, 50 to 60 μm, 60 to 150 μm, 60 to 125 μm, 60 to 100 μm, 60 to 75 μm, 60 to 70 μm, 70 to 150 μm, 70 to 125 μm, 70 to 100 μm, or 70 to 75 μm. 
     
     
         8 . The article of  claim 1 , wherein the vapor-cooling segment has a porosity of 30 to 96%, 50 to 80%, or 60 to 70% in the longitudinal direction. 
     
     
         9 . The article of  claim 1 , wherein the vapor-cooling segment has a length of 5 to 50 mm, 5 to 40 mm, 5 to 30 mm, or 7 to 28 mm. 
     
     
         10 . The article of  claim 1 , wherein the vapor-cooling segment is configured to cool a vapor evolved from the vapor-forming segment by at least 50° C., at least 60° C., at least 70° C., at least 80° C., at least 90° C., or at least 100° C. 
     
     
         11 . The article of  claim 1 , which further comprises (A) a filter segment located downstream of the vapor-cooling segment within the rod, (B)
 a spacer segment located between the vapor-forming segment and the vapor-cooling segment within the rod, or both (A) and (B).   
     
     
         12 . The article of  claim 1 , wherein the CE film comprises micropores, or wherein the CE film is free of micropores. 
     
     
         13 . A method of forming a vapor-generating article, the method comprising:
 (a) combining a cellulose ester (CE), a solvent, and optionally, a plasticizer, to form a dope;   (b) casting the dope and evaporating the solvent to form a CE film;   (c) crimping the CE film to form a crimped CE film;   (d) gathering and wrapping the crimped CE film into a rod-shape to form a vapor-cooling segment; and   (e) aligning and wrapping a vapor-forming segment with the vapor-cooling segment longitudinally to form a vapor-generating article,   wherein the CE comprises cellulose acetate propionate.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein step (a) further comprises combining cellulose acetate to form the dope. 
     
     
         15 . A method of forming a vapor-generating article, the method comprising:
 (a) heating cellulose acetate propionate (CAP) and optionally, a plasticizer, in an extruder to form a melt;   (b) extruding the melt through a die to form a CAP film;   (c) crimping the CAP film to form a crimped CAP film;   (d) gathering and wrapping the crimped CAP film into a rod-shape to form a vapor-cooling segment; and   (e) aligning and wrapping a vapor-forming segment with the vapor-cooling segment longitudinally to form a vapor-generating article.   
     
     
         16 . A vapor-generating article comprising a plurality of segments assembled in the form of a rod,
 wherein the segments comprise a vapor-forming segment and a vapor-cooling segment located downstream of the vapor-forming segment within the rod,   wherein the vapor-cooling segment comprises a perforated and crimped cellulose ester (CE) film.   
     
     
         17 . The article of  claim 16 , wherein the CE film comprises cellulose acetate, cellulose acetate propionate, or both. 
     
     
         18 . The article of  claim 16 , wherein the CE film comprises up to 10 wt %, 0.1 to 10 wt %, 1 to 10 wt %, 5 to 10 wt %, less than 0.5 wt %, less than 0.4 wt %, less than 0.3 wt %, less than 0.2 wt %, or less than 0.1 wt % of a plasticizer, based on the total weight of the CE film. 
     
     
         19 . The article of  claim 16 , wherein the CE film comprises no plasticizer. 
     
     
         20 . The article of  claim 16 , wherein the CE film comprises 5 to 65, 10 to 65, 15 to 65, 20 to 65, 5 to 60, 10 to 60, 15 to 60, 20 to 60, 5 to 55, 10 to 55, 15 to 55, 20 to 55, 5 to 50, 10 to 50, 15 to 50, 20 to 50, 5 to 45, 10 to 45, 15 to 45, 20 to 45, 5 to 40, 10 to 40, 15 to 40, 20 to 40, 5 to 35, 10 to 35, 15 to 35, 20 to 35, 5 to 30, 10 to 30, 15 to 30, 20 to 30, 5 to 25, 10 to 25, 15 to 25, 20 to 25, 5 to 20, 10 to 20, or 15 to 20 crimps per inch (CPI).