Manufacture of metal carbide heat source

PURPOSE: To manufacture a metal carbide heat source by using a reducing/ carbidizing atmosphere. CONSTITUTION: A smoking article 10 is constituted of an active element 11 wrapped with a cigarette wrapping paper 14, expansive tube 12, and suctional element 13. The active element 11 includes a flavor bed 21 and a metal carbide heat source 20 for releasing flavored vapor when the active element 11 is touched by hot gas flowing through the heat source 20. The vapor is transmitted through the expansion chamber 12, an aerosol to be transmitted to the suctional element 13 is formed, and it is transmitted to the mouth of a smoker, The heat source mixes metal with a carbon source, and heits the mixture under the presence of the carbidizing atmosphere for converting it into the metal carbide. In a desired embodiment, the metal/carbon source mixture is pre-formed in a desired form, and converted into the metal carbide without substantially changing the form of the mixture. This heat source has a high burning temperature and low ignition temperature, and when the heat source is burnt, it substantially generates no carbon monoxide. COPYRIGHT: (C)1992,JPO