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CORESTA Meeting, Smoke/Technology, Vienna, 1995, ST12

The use of solvent spun cellulose in cigarette filters

SHEPHERD R.J.K.
Filtrona International Ltd., Harpenden, Herts, UK
Within recent years there has been a significant increase in the world-wide use of low tar cigarettes. This trend is expected to continue and perhaps increase with the overall general decline in cigarette yields. The continuing growth of the low tar market has given cigarette designers the problem of producing low tar products with an acceptable pressure drop and cigarette ventilation level. Further decreases in cigarette yields, with more and more 1 to 2 mg products being launched, will exacerbate this problem. One approach to low tar cigarettes is the use of filters with very high filtration efficiencies but current filter materials tend to require very high pressure drops to achieve high retentions. This paper describes the development of a new filter material based on Lyocell, a new fibre developed by Courtaulds. The properties and manufacture of this new material are described. Performance characteristics of filters made from Lyocell will be compared with more commonly used materials such as cellulose acetate and cellulose. Comparisons with the environmental properties of existing materials will also be made.