Compositions, devices, and methods for nicotine aerosol delivery

Abstract

The present disclosure generally relates to compositions, and related devices and methods, useful in vaporizing devices such as electronic cigarettes. The composition may comprise nicotine, at least one solvent, and at least one ion pairing agent, and may be vaporized to form a condensation aerosol, wherein inhalation of the aerosol allows for deposition of nicotine with the respiratory system, including deep lung deposition. The vaporizing device may comprise a vaporization unit, a battery, and an integrated circuit coupled to the battery, wherein the integrated circuit is configured to control the battery for rapid initial vaporization without overheating, producing thermal degradation products, or draining battery energy. The battery may operate with pulse width modulation for at least a portion of the time the vaporizing device is being used.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 - 69 . (canceled) 
     
     
         70 . A liquid composition comprising nicotine, at least one solvent, and at least one ion pairing agent comprising lactic acid;
 wherein the lactic acid has a molar ratio with respect to nicotine ranging from about 1:3 to about 3:1;   wherein the composition has a pH within a range of about pH 5 to about pH 11; and   wherein the at least one solvent comprises from about 30% to about 60% glycerol and from about 25% to about 50% propylene glycol with respect to the total weight of the composition.   
     
     
         71 . A liquid composition comprising nicotine, at least one solvent, and at least one ion pairing agent comprising lactic acid;
 wherein the lactic acid has a molar ratio with respect to nicotine ranging from about 2:3 to about 1:1;   wherein the composition has a pH within a range of about pH 7 to about pH 8; and   wherein the at least one solvent comprises from about 40% to about 50% glycerol and from about 35% to about 50% propylene glycol with respect to the total weight of the composition.   
     
     
         72 . A liquid composition comprising nicotine, at least one solvent, and at least one ion pairing agent comprising lactic acid;
 wherein the lactic acid has a molar ratio with respect to nicotine ranging from about 1:1 to about 2:1;   wherein the composition has a pH within a range of about pH 5 to about pH 8; and   wherein the at least one solvent comprises from about 45% to about 55% glycerol and from about 25% to about 45% propylene glycol with respect to the total weight of the composition.   
     
     
         73 . The composition of  claim 72 , wherein the composition has a pH within a range of about pH 5 to about pH 5.5. 
     
     
         74 . The composition of any of  claims 70 - 73 , further comprising least one agent chosen from menthol, a tobacco alkaloid compound, a preservative, or a combination thereof, wherein the at least one agent has a molar ratio with respect to nicotine ranging from about 1:200 to about 1:2. 
     
     
         75 . The composition of any of  claims 70 - 73 , comprising from about 0.1% to about 10.0% nicotine. 
     
     
         76 . The composition of  claim 75 , further comprising from about 0.1% to about 10.0% of at least one agent chosen from a flavoring agent, a fragrance agent, an active agent, a preservative, a tobacco alkaloid compound other than nicotine, and menthol, or a combination thereof, by weight with respect to the total weight of the composition. 
     
     
         77 . The composition of  claim 76 , wherein the at least one agent comprises less than about 2% of the composition by weight. 
     
     
         78 . An aerosol comprising nicotine, at least one solvent, and at least one ion pairing agent comprising lactic acid, wherein the aerosol is produced by vaporization and condensation of a composition comprising nicotine, the at least one solvent, and the at least one ion pairing agent comprising lactic acid, and wherein at least 85% of the nicotine by weight with respect to the total weight of the composition is in a particulate phase of the aerosol. 
     
     
         79 . The aerosol of  claim 78 , wherein the aerosol comprises a plurality of particles having a mass median aerodynamic diameter between about 200 nm and about 4 μm. 
     
     
         80 . The aerosol of  claim 79 , wherein the particles have a mass median aerodynamic diameter between about 500 nm and about 1 μm. 
     
     
         81 . The aerosol of  claim 78 , wherein at least 88% of the nicotine by weight with respect to the total weight of the composition is in the particulate phase of the aerosol. 
     
     
         82 . The aerosol of  claim 78 , wherein the lactic acid has a molar ratio with respect to nicotine ranging from about 1:2 to about 1:1 (lactic acid:nicotine).