Cellulose acetate tow

A Cigarette filter is part of an cigarette, as well as cigarette paper, capsules and adhesives. The filter may be created from cellulose acetate fibre, paper or activated charcoal (either being a cavity filter or embedded to the cellulose acetate). Macroporous phenol-formaldehyde resins and asbestos seemed to be employed in cigarette filters The acetate and paper change the particulate smoke phase by particle retention (filtration), and finely divided carbon modifies the gaseous phase (adsorption). Filters can help to eliminate “tar” and nicotine smoke yields up to 50%, using a greater removal rate for other classes of compounds (e.g., phenols), however are ineffective in filtering toxins including co. Most factory-made cigarettes have a filter; those that roll their particular can get them coming from a tobacconist.

Cellulose acetate is manufactured by esterifying bleached cotton or wood pulp with acetic acid. With the three cellulose hydroxy groups designed for esterification, between two and three are esterified by controlling the quantity of acid (degree of substitution (DS) 2.35-2.55). The ester is spun into fibers and formed into bundles called filter tow. Flavors (menthol), sweeteners, softeners (triacetin), flame retardants (sodium tungstate), breakable capsules releasing flavors when needed, and additives colouring the cigarettes may be put into cigarette filters. The 5 largest manufactures of filter tow are Hoechst-Celanese and Eastman Chemicals in the usa, Rhodia Acetow in Germany, Daicel in Japan, and Courtaulds in the United Kingdom.

Starch glues or emulsion-based adhesives can be used gluing cigarette seams. Hot-melt and emulsion-based adhesives can be used for filter seams. Emulsion-based adhesives can be used for bonding the filters to the cigarettes.

Cellulose acetate is non-toxic, odorless, tasteless, and weakly flammable. It can be proof against weak acids and is largely stable to mineral and fatty oils as well as petroleum. It’s biodegradable along with the raw material is a renewable natural polymer likely to find application for other uses later on. Smoked cigarette butts contain 5-7 mg nicotine (about 25% in the total cigarette nicotine content), children ingesting >2 whole cigarettes, 6 cigarette butts or a total of 0.5 mg/kg of nicotine needs to be admitted with a hospital. Cellulose acetate is hydrophilic and retains the water-soluble smoke constituents, which many are irritating (acids, alkali, aldehydes, and phenols), while letting through the lipophilic aromatic compounds.
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