Adhesives Used in Cigarettes
In the cigarette production process, an important step involves tightly wrapping tobacco with cigarette paper. The edges of the cigarette paper need to be joined to form a cylindrical shape, and this joining requires the use of adhesive. This step is completed instantaneously on high-speed machines, demanding high precision and reliable adhesion.
A cigarette typically consists of a tobacco rod and a filter. The tobacco rod is made of tobacco wrapped in a paper tube, which is bonded using seam adhesive. The filter is usually made of toughened cellulose acetate, formed into a cylinder with paper, and the paper and fibers are bonded using adhesive. The main types of adhesives used in cigarettes are as follows:
Center Line Adhesive: The external layer of the cigarette filter rod is wrapped with a layer of "forming paper." To shape the filter rod better, a 1.2 mm wide, 10-micron thick line of adhesive is applied in the middle of the paper using a glue gun. This adhesive is used to bond the tow to the paper, preventing the tow from being pulled out of the formed cylinder.
Seam Adhesive: Seam adhesive is primarily used for side seam bonding of the cigarette and the side seam bonding of the filter rod. Seam adhesive is a type of emulsion polymer modified with quick-drying and environmentally friendly materials. It features fast drying, good fluidity, high bonding strength, stable application, and does not burst, bubble, or curl. It is non-toxic, odorless, non-corrosive, pollution-free, and does not contain harmful substances such as heavy metals (lead, arsenic) or phthalates. It is suitable for cigarette production speeds of 6000 to 10,000 cigarettes per minute.
Tipping Adhesive: Tipping adhesive is an emulsion polymer produced with advanced production techniques and high-quality raw materials. It features quick drying, quick bonding, good fluidity, high bonding strength, stable application, and does not open, bubble, or burst. It is non-toxic, odorless, non-corrosive, pollution-free, and does not contain phthalate plasticizers. It is mainly used for medium to high-speed cigarette tipping, with machine speeds reaching 6000 to 10,000 cigarettes per minute.
