Cigarette filter including lyocell tow and production method thereof

Abstract

A cigarette filter which includes lyocell tow made of a plurality of lyocell fibers and a binder configured to bond the lyocell fibers to each other is provided. The cigarette filter according to one embodiment of the present disclosure reduces each of tar and nicotine, which are delivered through cigarette smoke, by 70% to 95%. The cigarette filter according to one embodiment of the present disclosure has a resistance to draw of 80 mmWG to 200 mmWG. The cigarette filter according to one embodiment of the present disclosure is filled with the lyocell tow at a packing density of 0.2 g/mL to 0.6 g/mL. The cigarette filter according to one embodiment of the present disclosure addresses basic material-related problems, such as low hardness, of the lyocell tow and, further, has excellent filtration functionality as a filter.

1 . A cigarette filter comprising:
 lyocell tow made of a plurality of lyocell fibers; and   a binder configured to bond the lyocell fibers to each other,   wherein tar and nicotine delivered through cigarette smoke are each reduced by 70% to 95%.   
     
     
         2 . The cigarette filter of  claim 1 , wherein the cigarette filter has a resistance to draw of 80 mmWG to 200 mmWG. 
     
     
         3 . The cigarette filter of  claim 1 , wherein the cigarette filter is filled with the lyocell tow at a packing density of 0.2 g/mL to 0.6 g/mL. 
     
     
         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 , further comprising a binder solvent, wherein the binder solvent is water, a monohydric alcohol, a polyhydric alcohol, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         7 . The cigarette filter of  claim 6 , wherein the monohydric alcohol is methanol, ethanol, propanol, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         8 . The cigarette filter of  claim 6 , wherein the polyhydric alcohol is a diol having a C1-C4 alkylene group. 
     
     
         9 . The cigarette filter of  claim 8 , 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. 
     
     
         10 . 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) performing drying after spraying the binder solution on the lyocell tow; and   (4) producing the cigarette filter by wrapping, with wrapping paper, the lyocell tow in which the lyocell fibers are bonded by the binder.