Combustible heat source with improved binding agent

Abstract

A combustible heat source for a smoking article is provided, including carbon and a binding agent. The binding agent includes a combination of three binder components: an organic polymeric binder material, a carboxylate burn salt, and at least one non-combustible inorganic binder material. The at least one non-combustible inorganic binder material includes a sheet silicate material. Preferably, the combustible heat source further includes an ignition aid.

1 . A combustible heat source for a smoking article, the combustible heat source comprising:
 carbon; and   a binding agent including at least one organic polymeric binder material, at least one carboxylate burn salt, and at least one non-combustible inorganic binder material,   wherein the at least one non-combustible inorganic binder material comprises a sheet silicate material.   
     
     
         2 . The combustible heat source according to  claim 1 , wherein the at least one carboxylate burn salt includes one or more of: at least one alkali metal citrate salt, at least one alkali metal acetate salt, and at least one alkali metal succinate salt. 
     
     
         3 . The combustible heat source according to  claim 1 , wherein the at least one carboxylate burn salt includes at least one alkali metal citrate salt. 
     
     
         4 . The combustible heat source according to  claim 1 , wherein the at least one organic polymeric binder material comprises a cellulosic material. 
     
     
         5 . The combustible heat source according to  claim 1 , wherein the at least one non-combustible inorganic binder material comprises one or more clays. 
     
     
         6 . The combustible heat source according to  claim 1 , wherein the binding agent comprises between 25 percent and 80 percent by weight of the organic polymeric binder material. 
     
     
         7 . The combustible heat source according to  claim 1 , wherein the binding agent comprises between 5 percent and 50 percent by weight of the carboxylate burn salt. 
     
     
         8 . The combustible heat source according to  claim 1 , wherein the binding agent comprises between 10 percent and 35 percent by weight of the non-combustible inorganic binder material. 
     
     
         9 . The combustible heat source according to  claim 1 , comprising between 2 percent and 10 percent by weight of the binding agent. 
     
     
         10 . The combustible heat source according to  claim 1 , further comprising at least one ignition aid. 
     
     
         11 . The combustible heat source according to  claim 10 , wherein the at least one ignition aid comprises at least one peroxide or superoxide. 
     
     
         12 . The combustible heat source according to  claim 1 , wherein the combustible heat source is a pressed heat source, formed by a pressing process. 
     
     
         13 . A smoking article comprising a combustible heat source according to  claim 1 , and an aerosol-forming substrate downstream of the combustible heat source. 
     
     
         14 . The smoking article according to  claim 13  wherein at least a rear part of the combustible heat source and at least a front part of the aerosol-forming substrate are wrapped in a combustion resistant wrapper. 
     
     
         15 . A binding agent to improve the integrity of a carbon-containing combustible heat source for a smoking article, the binding agent comprising:
 at least one organic polymeric binder material;   at least one carboxylate burn salt and   at least one non-combustible inorganic binder material,   wherein the at least one non-combustible inorganic binder material comprises a sheet silicate material.   
     
     
         16 . A method of producing a combustible heat source having improved integrity, the method comprising:
 combining one or more carbon-containing materials with a binding agent including at least one organic polymeric binder material, at least one carboxylate burn salt and at least one non-combustible inorganic binder material, wherein the at least one non-combustible inorganic binder material comprises a sheet silicate material;   pre-forming the mixture of the one or more carbon-containing materials and the binding agent into an elongate rod; and   drying the elongate rod.