Cigarette Ignition Performance

Abstract

Two sample cigarettes (coded B and D) along with a control were tested according to the two cigarette ignition propensity test methods published by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). The primary test uses duck fabrics over polyurethane foam in a flat configuration, and the secondary test uses Whatman #2 filter paper. The three cigarettes were also tested on commercial upholstery fabrics in the flat and crevice configurations. Cigarettes B and D used 80 CORESTA cigarette paper with 5.5 mm and 6.5 mm wide bands, respectively. The control used 33 CORESTA paper with no bands. Cigarettes B and D produced significantly less ignitions than the control on duck fabrics and >90% self-extinguishment (SE) compared to 0% SE for the control on 10 layers of filter paper. However, the cigarettes with bands produced significantly more ignitions on duck fabrics #6 and #10 when smoldered horizontally vs. vertically (NIST proposed smoldering position) prior to placing on the mockup. On 25 commercial upholstery fabrics tested in a flat configuration, cigarettes B and D produced 5% fewer ignitions than the control, which was significantly different. However, on 22 commercial upholstery fabrics tested in the crevice configuration, B and D produced 4% or fewer ignitions than the control, which was not a significant difference. No significant differences were obtained in any test between cigarettes B and D, which used different band widths. A self-extinguishing cigarette on an arbitrary set of layered filter papers does not inherently translate to “fire-safe cigarette.”