| Application of mesoporous molecular sieves as selective smoke filtration additives -> Monitor Keywords |
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Application of mesoporous molecular sieves as selective smoke filtration additivesRelated Patent Categories: Tobacco, Tobacco Users' Appliance, Device Used For Smoking, Smoke Treating, Material Separator And Trap, Filter And/or Absorber, Absorbent Or ParticulateApplication of mesoporous molecular sieves as selective smoke filtration additives description/claimsThe Patent Description & Claims data below is from USPTO Patent Application 20050268925, Application of mesoporous molecular sieves as selective smoke filtration additives. Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS [0001] Not applicable. STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT [0002] Not applicable. REFERENCE TO A "SEQUENTIAL LISTING," A TABLE, OR A COMPUTER PROGRAM LISTING APPENDIX SUBMITTED ON A COMPACT DISC [0003] Not applicable. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0004] 1. Field of the Invention [0005] The present invention relates to a smoking article having a filter element and/or smokable material containing a highly structured mesoporous molecular sieve, and more specifically, a smoking article having a filter element and/or smokable material containing a highly porous amorphous silica (hereinafter referred to as "MCM-41"), as the highly structured mesoporous molecular sieve for filtering vapor phase constituents in mainstream smoke. [0006] 2. Description of the Related Art [0007] Typical smoking articles, such as cigarettes, have a cylindrical filter element axially aligned with a cylindrical tobacco-filled rod. The filter element, and even the tobacco-filled rod, incorporate various materials that work to remove particular components from the mainstream smoke. Often, these materials are non-selective, thereby removing desirable components from the mainstream smoke and resulting in an undesirable taste. [0008] Certain cigarettes have filter elements which incorporate materials such as carbon. [0009] Exemplary cigarettes and filters are described in U.S. Patent Pub. No. 2003/0159703, to Yang, et al., and U.S. Patent Pub. No. 2003/0154993, to Paine, III et al. Generally, surface area is inversely proportional to carbon particle size. If the particle size is too large, there may be insufficient surface area to accomplish the desired filtration. This factor must be taken into careful consideration when selecting a particular carbon particle size. Also, filter elements which incorporate carbon often yield a metallic flavor during smoking. Carbon is often impregnated with a flavorant in an attempt to camouflage the metallic flavor and may actually block the pores, an impediment to filtration, and finding a preferred flavorant loading percentage is difficult and inefficient. Furthermore, filter elements which incorporate carbon vary in proportion of micropores to mesopores, where the term "microporous" generally refers to such materials having pore sizes of about 20 .ANG. or less, while the term "mesoporous" generally refers to such materials with pore sizes of about 20-500 .ANG.. Uniform pore size distribution is more favorable. By having a more uniform pore size distribution, more of the porosity can be assured to be in the mesoporous range (2-50 nm), which is more effective at filtering smoke than microporous materials. A variety of pore sizes is more likely to filter a variety of compounds, and filters for specific analytes are more desirable. [0010] A smoking article with a filter element capable of filtering vapor phase components that is efficient to produce and does not yield a metallic flavor is desired. Also, a filter element with a mesoporous molecular sieve that has uniform pore size is desired. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION [0011] In view of known deficiencies associated with earlier smoking article filter elements, a smoking article with a mesoporous molecular sieve to filter vapor phase constituents from mainstream tobacco smoke is provided. [0012] It has been found that a family of highly ordered mesoporous molecular sieves, manufactured by the Mobil Corporation and identified as M41S, are useful in smoking article filter elements. M41S materials are non-crystalline surfactant templated silica having a narrow pore size distribution. MCM-41 is a highly porous surfactant templated silica gel belonging to the M41S family, and contains a highly organized hexagonal array of uniform pores with controllable diameters from about 15 .ANG. to about 100 .ANG.. The term "hexagonal" encompasses materials that exhibit mathematically perfect hexagonal symmetry and materials with significant observable deviations from perfection. MCM refers to Mobil Composition of Matter or Mobil Crystalline Material, and was developed as a catalyst substrate by Mobil [0013] The surface chemistry of siliceous MCM-41 is comprised of silanol groups (SiOH), and may be synthesized using cetyltrimethylammonium chloride (CTACl), H.sub.2O, Na.sub.2O, and SiO.sub.2. The formed MCM-41 may be utilized as a mesoporous molecular sieve in smoking articles. MCM-41 has a highly condensed surface with less SiOH groups than silica, and its uniqueness is in the shape it adopts by forming around a template which is subsequently removed. The use of mesopores as an absorbent is taught by U.S. Pat. No. 5,580,370, to Kuma, et al. Furthermore, MCM-41 has a large surface area, where the BET surface area is approximately 1000 m.sup.2/g, and thus has a high sorption capacity. ("BET" refers to Brunaur, Emmett, and Teller, three scientists who optimized the theory for measuring surface areas.) MCM-41 is effective for reducing levels of alcohols, aldehydes, ketones, nitrites, and naphthalene. [0014] It is an object of the present invention to provide a smoking article with a filter element having a mesoporous molecular sieve, MCM-41. A preferred smoking article is a cigarette with MCM-41 disposed within the filter element. [0015] It is another object to provide a smokable material in a smokable rod of the smoking article having the mesoporous molecular sieve, MCM-41. A preferred smoking article is a cigarette and a preferred smokable material is tobacco. In this embodiment, MCM-41 is disposed within the smokable material in the rod. [0016] It is yet another object to provide the filter element and the smokable material in the smokable rod of the smoking article both having the mesoporous molecular sieve, MCM-41. In this embodiment, MCM-41 is disposed within the filter element and throughout the smokable material in the rod. [0017] It is still yet a further object to provide either or both the filter element or the smokable material in the smokable rod of the smoking article having the mesoporous molecular sieve, MCM-41, in combination with charcoal, an ion-exchange resin, or both. [0018] It is still yet another object to provide either or both the filter element or the smokable material in the smokable rod of the smoking article having an impregnated mesoporous molecular sieve, MCM-41. MCM-41 can be impregnated with copper oxide for greater HCN and H.sub.2S reduction. 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