Nicotine liquid formulations for aerosol devices and methods thereof

Abstract

A nicotine liquid formulation comprising nicotine, an acid, and a biologically acceptable liquid carrier, wherein heating an amount of said nicotine liquid formulation using low temperature electronic vaporization device, i.e. an electronic cigarette, generates an inhalable aerosol, and wherein at least about 50% of said acid in said amount is in said aerosol, and wherein at least about 90% of said nicotine in said amount is in said aerosol

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of generating an inhalable aerosol comprising nicotine for delivery to a user using an electronic vaporization device comprising a nicotine salt liquid formulation and a heater, the method comprising:
 (i) providing an amount of the nicotine salt liquid formulation to the heater, wherein
 (a) the nicotine salt liquid formulation comprises at least one nicotine salt in a biologically acceptable liquid carrier; 
 (b) the at least one nicotine salt comprises a salt of nicotine and malic acid; 
 (c) the nicotine salt liquid formulation has a nicotine salt concentration of about 0.5% (w/w) to about 20% (w/w); and 
 (d) the nicotine salt liquid formulation has a molar ratio of malic acid to nicotine from about 0.7:1 to about 3:1, and 
   (ii) forming an aerosol by heating the amount of the nicotine salt liquid formulation.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the nicotine salt concentration is from about 1% (w/w) to about 15% (w/w). 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the nicotine salt concentration is from about 1% (w/w) to about 6% (w/w). 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the biologically acceptable liquid carrier comprises from about 10% to about 70% of propylene glycol and from about 90% to about 30% of vegetable glycerin. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the biologically acceptable liquid carrier comprises from about 20% to about 50% of propylene glycol and from about 80% to about 50% of vegetable glycerin. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the nicotine salt liquid formulation has a molar ratio of malic acid to nicotine from about 0.9:1 to about 2.2:1. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the nicotine salt liquid formulation has a molar ratio of malic acid to nicotine of about 2:1. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the nicotine salt liquid formulation further comprises an additional acid selected from the group consisting of benzoic acid, pyruvic acid, salicylic acid, levulinic acid, succinic acid, and citric acid. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the additional acid forms an additional nicotine salt. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , comprising heating the amount of the nicotine salt liquid formulation from about 100° C. to about 300° C. 
     
     
         11 . A nicotine salt liquid formulation comprising at least one nicotine salt in a biologically acceptable liquid carrier, wherein:
 (a) the at least one nicotine salt comprises a salt of nicotine and malic acid;   (b) the nicotine salt liquid formulation has a nicotine salt concentration of about 1% (w/w) to about 20% (w/w); and   (c) the nicotine salt liquid formulation has a molar ratio of malic acid to nicotine from about 0.7:1 to about 3:1.   
     
     
         12 . The nicotine salt liquid formulation of  claim 11 , wherein the nicotine salt concentration is from about 1% (w/w) to about 15% (w/w). 
     
     
         13 . The nicotine salt liquid formulation of  claim 11 , wherein the nicotine salt concentration is from about 1% (w/w) to about 6% (w/w). 
     
     
         14 . The nicotine salt liquid formulation of  claim 11 , wherein the biologically acceptable liquid carrier comprises propylene glycol and vegetable glycerin. 
     
     
         15 . The nicotine salt liquid formulation of  claim 11 , wherein the biologically acceptable liquid carrier comprises from about 10% to about 70% of propylene glycol and from about 90% to about 30% of vegetable glycerin. 
     
     
         16 . The nicotine salt liquid formulation of  claim 11 , wherein the biologically acceptable liquid carrier comprises from about 20% to about 50% of propylene glycol and from about 80% to about 50% of vegetable glycerin. 
     
     
         17 . The nicotine salt liquid formulation of  claim 11 , wherein the nicotine salt liquid formulation has a molar ratio of malic acid to nicotine from about 0.9:1 to about 2.2:1. 
     
     
         18 . The nicotine salt liquid formulation of  claim 11 , wherein the nicotine salt liquid formulation has a molar ratio of malic acid to nicotine of about 2:1. 
     
     
         19 . A method of generating an inhalable aerosol comprising nicotine for delivery to a user using an electronic vaporization device comprising a nicotine liquid formulation and a heater, the method comprising:
 (i) providing an amount of the nicotine liquid formulation to the heater, wherein
 (a) the nicotine liquid formulation comprises from about 0.5% (w/w) to about 20% (w/w) of nicotine, malic acid, and a biologically acceptable liquid carrier; and 
 (b) the molar ratio of malic acid to nicotine is from about 0.7:1 to about 3:1, and 
   (ii) forming an aerosol by heating the amount of the nicotine liquid formulation.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the nicotine liquid formulation comprises from about 1% (w/w) to about 6% (w/w) of nicotine. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the biologically acceptable liquid carrier comprises from about 10% to about 70% of propylene glycol and from about 90% to about 30% of vegetable glycerin. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the nicotine liquid formulation has a molar ratio of malic acid to nicotine of about 2:1. 
     
     
         23 . An electronic cigarette cartridge comprising the nicotine salt liquid formulation of  claim 11 . 
     
     
         24 . An electronic cigarette comprising a cartridge and a heater, wherein the cartridge comprises the nicotine salt liquid formulation of  claim 11 . 
     
     
         25 . An electronic cigarette comprising the nicotine salt liquid formulation of  claim 11 .