As electronic cigarettes, a modernized version of traditional tobacco, have become prevalent, the choice of material and design of the drip tip (the part that comes in close contact with the user) is crucial. This is because it directly affects the user’s vaping experience and flavor perception.
In terms of design, drip tips are generally shaped to fit comfortably against the lips, often elongated and flat. Some smaller e-cigarette brands, prioritizing hygiene, opt for retractable designs, such as Xiwu, and include features like mouthpiece narrowing, lengthening, waist-tightening, and 510 conical designs.
Regarding material selection, requirements include:
- FDA certification for food-grade materials;
- Good wear resistance, toughness, self-lubrication, and friction resistance;
- Heat resistance, stability, and insulation;
- Malleability.
Many materials meet these requirements, broadly categorized into plastics, metals, ceramics, wood, and glass. Within plastics, subdivisions include PCTG, POM, PEI, PC, and PP, with PCTG and ceramics being particularly popular. Let’s explore these materials further.
Plastics
- POM (Polyoxymethylene)
- Known as “Super Steel” or “Sai Steel,” it is highly strong, stiff, and elastic, with excellent wear and abrasion resistance.
- Can withstand temperatures up to 160°C short-term and operate long-term within -40°C to 100°C. It combines well with metals, is cost-effective, and has good coloration.
- E-cigarettes from brands like Green Rhyme, Ireli Magic Hat, and Sea Wolf have adopted POM drip tips. Suppliers include companies like Ticona, Dupont, Asahi Kasei, Mitsubishi, Polyplastics, BASF, and Yuntianhua.
- PEI (Polyetherimide)
- A high-strength, rigid, amorphous thermoplastic with excellent creep resistance across a wide temperature range and prolonged high temperatures. It also boasts excellent hydrolysis resistance and dimensional stability. However, it is somewhat expensive and used in mid to high-end atomizer drip tips.
- Material suppliers include SABIC, Polyplastics, and Idemitsu.
- PCTG
- A non-crystalline copolyester known for its toughness, impact strength, excellent low-temperature toughness, high tear resistance, and ease of processing. It’s chemically resistant, transparent, BPA-free, and mainly used in lower-powered pod systems for both atomizer cases and drip tips.
- Eastman Chemical Company has patented technology enhancing its high-temperature resistance, branding it as TRITAN. TRITAN materials can withstand temperatures up to 109 degrees and are about three times the cost of PC.
- PC (Polycarbonate)
- Known for its transparency, impact resistance, and dimensional stability. It is used in e-cigarette vapor chambers and drip tips. The E-hose e-hookah, for example, uses a PC drip tip, and it’s rumored that the Puff Plus disposable e-cigarette uses a PC extruded tube for its clear oil reservoir.
Metals
- Stainless Steel
- The most traditional material, matching the color of the atomizer for aesthetic harmony. Its drawback, related to its shape, is rapid heat conduction, making it potentially hot to touch. This can be mitigated in dripper atomizers by using longer drip tips or adjusting resistance. The Aspire Nautilus atomizer, for example, uses a stainless steel drip tip.
- Aluminum Alloy
- Widely used in the casings of pod systems due to mature processing technologies, but less so in drip tips. The Shanlan e-cigarette utilizes aluminum alloy for its unique, flat-mouthed drip tips, crafted from a single piece of aluminum.
Ceramics
- Ceramic drip tips are made from eco-friendly zirconia materials, sintered at high temperatures to a smooth finish. They don’t release harmful substances when heated by vapor, offering durability and safety over plastics. However, they can accumulate heat and may be too hot for comfortable use, making them more suited for low-power devices.
Glass
- Glass offers good insulation and clarity but is fragile and challenging to mold, leading to its limited use, mainly in the vapor chamber area rather than drip tips.
Wood
- Wooden drip tips can feel a bit rough but offer good insulation and environmental benefits. They are a suitable choice for dripper atomizers despite generally less appealing designs and longer manufacturing processes due to their unique material properties.
From the appearance point of view, glass, stainless steel, and ceramic cigarette holders have advantages, but compared with practicality, plastic cigarette holders are better and lower in cost. Among them, PCTG material is the mainstream solution for small cigarette holders at present.