Smokeless tobacco articles
Tobacco articles having tobacco disposed in a porous matrix. The tobacco articles can provide tobacco to an adult consumer in the form of particles, liquid, or vapor so as to furnish tobacco satisfaction to the consumer. The tobacco can be integrally molded with a plastic material so that at least a portion of the tobacco is disposed in pores of the matrix.
1. A method for making a tobacco article, comprising:
combining thermoplastic polymer particles with tobacco particles at a ratio of tobacco particles to thermoplastic polymer particles of 30:70 to 50:50 by weight, the thermoplastic polymer particles have an average diameter between about 10 microns and about 20 microns, the tobacco particles having an average diameter of between 20 microns and 100 microns; and
sintering the combination to form a porous matrix of the thermoplastic polymer particles having a network of pores disposed therein, with the tobacco particles disposed in the pores of the porous matrix.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the thermoplastic polymer is ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the tobacco particles comprise at least one of shredded tobacco, cut tobacco, granulated tobacco, or powdered tobacco.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the tobacco particles comprise granulated or powdered tobacco having an average diameter between about 40 microns and about 60 microns.
5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising adding one or more flavor components to the sintered porous matrix after sintering.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the tobacco article is adapted to be wholly received by an adult consumer.
7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the tobacco article has a shelf life of at least 30 weeks.