A Cigarette filter is an element of the cigarette, as well as cigarette paper, capsules and adhesives. The filter could be made from cellulose acetate fibre, paper or activated charcoal (either being a cavity filter or embedded into the cellulose acetate). Macroporous phenol-formaldehyde resins and asbestos have also been found in cigarette filters The acetate and paper get a new particulate smoke phase by particle retention (filtration), and finely divided carbon modifies the gaseous phase (adsorption). Filters is able to reduce “tar” and nicotine smoke yields up to 50%, with a greater removal rate for other classes of compounds (e.g., phenols), but are ineffective in filtering toxins like dangerous. Most factory-made cigarettes include a filter; people who roll their very own can buy them from a tobacconist.
Cellulose acetate is created by esterifying bleached cotton or wood pulp with acetic acid. With the three cellulose hydroxy groups available for esterification, between two and three are esterified by controlling the level of acid (level 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 at will, and additives colouring the cigarette smoke could be added to cigarette filters. 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 britain.
Starch glues or emulsion-based adhesives can be used for gluing cigarette seams. Hot-melt and emulsion-based adhesives can be used filter seams. Emulsion-based adhesives can be used for bonding filters to the cigarettes.
Cellulose acetate is non-toxic, odorless, tasteless, and weakly flammable. It is resistant against weak acids which is largely stable to mineral and fatty oils along with petroleum. It’s biodegradable and also the raw material is a renewable natural polymer expected to find application for other uses in the foreseeable future. Smoked cigarette butts contain 5-7 mg nicotine (about 25% from the total cigarette nicotine content), children ingesting >2 whole cigarettes, 6 cigarette butts or possibly a total of 0.5 mg/kg of nicotine must be admitted to a hospital. Cellulose acetate is hydrophilic and retains the water-soluble smoke constituents, that lots of people are irritating (acids, alkali, aldehydes, and phenols), while letting through the lipophilic aromatic compounds.
To read more about cellulose acetate tow view our new net page