Cigarette filter including lyocell tow and production method thereof

Abstract

A cigarette filter which includes lyocell tow made of a plurality of lyocell fibers, a binder configured to bond the lyocell fibers to each other, and a solvent dispersed in an inner space of the cigarette filter including the lyocell tow, wherein the solvent includes a polyhydric alcohol, is provided. According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the polyhydric alcohol is a diol having a C1-C4 alkylene group. The cigarette filter according to one embodiment of the present disclosure overcomes the existing material-related problems of lyocell tow and has excellent hardness.

1 . A cigarette filter comprising:
 lyocell tow made of a plurality of lyocell fibers;   a binder configured to bond the lyocell fibers to each other; and   a solvent dispersed in an inner space of the cigarette filter including the lyocell tow,   wherein the solvent includes a polyhydric alcohol.   
     
     
         2 . The cigarette filter of  claim 1 , wherein the polyhydric alcohol is a diol having a C1-C4 alkylene group. 
     
     
         3 . The cigarette filter of  claim 1 , wherein the polyhydric alcohol is included at 0.5 parts by weight to 25 parts by weight based on 100 parts by weight of the lyocell tow. 
     
     
         4 . The cigarette filter of  claim 1 , wherein the binder is hydroxypropyl methylcellulose, hydroxypropyl cellulose, polyvinyl alcohol, ethylene vinyl acetate, polyvinyl acetate, polyvinylpyrrolidone, polyester, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         5 . The cigarette filter of  claim 1 , wherein the binder is included at 0.1 parts by weight to 5 parts by weight based on 100 parts by weight of the lyocell tow. 
     
     
         6 . The cigarette filter of  claim 1 , wherein the solvent further includes a monohydric alcohol which is methanol, ethanol, propanol, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         7 . A method of producing the cigarette filter of  claim 1 , the method comprising:
 (1) producing lyocell tow by using a plurality of lyocell fibers;   (2) preparing a binder solution by mixing a binder and a solvent;   (3) spraying the binder solution on the lyocell tow and storing the lyocell tow to allow the lyocell fibers to be bonded to each other by the binder; and   (4) producing the cigarette filter by wrapping, with wrapping paper, the lyocell tow in which the lyocell fibers are bonded by the binder,   wherein the solvent includes a polyhydric alcohol.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the polyhydric alcohol is included at 5 parts by weight to 50 parts by weight based on 100 parts by weight of the binder solution. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the solvent further includes a monohydric alcohol. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the monohydric alcohol is methanol, ethanol, propanol, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the monohydric alcohol is included at 5 parts by weight to 60 parts by weight based on 100 parts by weight of the binder solution. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the binder solution is sprayed on the lyocell tow in an amount of 5 parts by weight to 30 parts by weight based on 100 parts by weight of the lyocell tow.