Smoking article with mercaptopropyl functionalized sorbent and method
AssigneePhilip Morris USA Inc.
InventorsZhaohua Luan, Jay Fournier
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Mercaptopropyl functionalized molecular sieves such as mesoporous SBA-15 silica molecular sieves can be prepared via incipient-wetness impregnation of (3-mercaptopropyl)triethoxysilane of up to a loading of about 15 mole %. The functionalized materials are more hydrophobic than parent material, and can be used as adsorbents to reduce the concentration of heavy metal (mercury and/or cadmium-containing) constituents in mainstream smoke. For example, SBA-15 silica comprising a 1% molar loading of mercaptopropyl groups has an adsorption capacity for mercury that is approximately seven to eight times that of un-functionalized parent SBA-15 silica.
Claims23
A smoking article comprising a sorbent having mercaptopropyl groups bound to an inorganic molecular sieve substrate, wherein the sorbent is capable of reducing the concentration of at least one heavy metal constituent in mainstream smoke.
A cigarette filter comprising a sorbent having mercaptopropyl groups bound to an inorganic molecular sieve substrate, wherein the sorbent is capable of reducing the concentration of at least one heavy metal constituent such as mercury and/or cadmium in mainstream smoke.
A method of making a cigarette filter, the method comprising incorporating a sorbent into a cigarette filter, wherein the sorbent comprises mercaptopropyl groups bound to inorganic molecular sieve substrate, and wherein the filter is a mono filter, a dual filter, a triple filter, a cavity filter, a recessed filter, or a free-flow filter.
A method of treating mainstream smoke comprising contacting mainstream tobacco smoke with a sorbent having at least one mercaptopropyl group bound to an inorganic molecular sieve substrate while drawing the smoke through a smoking article, wherein the sorbent reduces the concentration of at least one heavy metal constituent such as mercury and/or cadmium in mainstream smoke.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.