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Photo of Lavrent Khachatryan Lavrent Khachatryan, Ph.D.

Bachelor Degree: Yerevan State University, 1972

PhD: Institute of Chemical Physics of NAS Armenia, 1978

D.Sc., Doctor of Science, Institute of Chemical Physics of NAS Armenia, 1998

Phone: (225) 578-4417

Fax: (225) 578-3458

E-mail: lkhach1@lsu.edu

Office: 400 Choppin Hall

Areas of Interest

Thermal oxidation of saturated hydrocarbons (C₁-C₈) in conventional reactors (with "hot walls").
Thermal oxidation of C₁-C₈ hydrocarbons under CO₂ IR laser irradiation ("wall-less" conditions) using the LPHP (Laser Powered Homogeneous Pyrolysis) method.
Developing comprehensive kinetic models for pure homogeneous pyrolysis / oxidation processes of C₁-C₈ hydrocarbons using CHEMKIN kinetic package. Applying of the models to the environmental problems (internal combustion engine, pollution of air, atmospheric photochemistry etc).

Laser (IR, UV) induced chemistry

Laser induced chemical vapor deposition (CVD) of novel Si-based materials using CW or pulsed CO₂ laser technique,
UV laser-induced photolysis of organosilicon compounds, generation nano-textured hydrogenated Si/O and Si/C/O phases,
UV laser induced gas-phase decompositions of various environmentally hazardous compounds as non-, as well as chlorinated dioxins, furans, different poly-aromatics.

Hazardous Waste Incineration. Formation of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and furans (PCDD/F),
Mathematical modeling of the processes of conversion of PCDD/Fs to the non toxic compounds,
Rationalization of the mechanism on PM (airborne particulate matter, PM_2.5and Ultrafine Particles < 1 uM) induced oxidative stress.

Pyrolysis of Lignin for Bio-oil under CO₂ laser irradiation in the "Wall-Less" reactor
Free radical mechanism of lignin pyrolysis
Identification of intermediate radicals from lignin and lignin model compounds pyrolysis
Validation of the homogeneous decomposition mechanism of dispersed into gas phase lignin pyrolysis

Burning/Smoking of tobacco and related products (Catechol, Hydroquinone, biomass).
Development of cleaner degradation mechanisms of tobacco and its constituents (Catechol, Hydroquinone, biomass).
Discovery of the radicals from waterpipe smoking (WPS). The toxicological implication of radicals from WPS.
Validation of the mechanisms by direct identification of intermediate labile species, radicals using ESR (Electron Spin Resonance) spectroscopy, spin trapping technique. Kinetic modeling of these complex processes using CHEMKIN combustion package.

The EPR LTMI is a technique for the identification of intermediate radicals from chemical/biological red – ox systems.

Trapping of active radicals (at liquid nitrogen temperature (77 K)) from gas-phase oxidation/pyrolysis of wide classes of volatile organics.
Identification of trapped radicals based on hyperfine splitting constants, g value, as well as on resolution enhancement by increasing of freezing temperature from 77 K to room temperature using commercial temperature controller system.
Application of Curie-Weiss Law to the intermediate radicals as additional powerful approach to identify the nature of radicals.

"Isolation of Surface Chemistry" from the Overall Process of chemical vapor deposition (CVD), Synthesis of Catalyst Nanoparticles in "wall less" conditions. Monitoring of CVD by EPR technique.
Exploiting of EPR/spin trapping technique to biological systems; investigation of different red-ox cycling during DNA-Protein cross linking processes, for instance by participation of semiquinone anion or phneoxyl type (Tyrosyl) radicals which generate very harmful reactive oxygen species (ROS); superoxide, hydrogen peroxide, OH radicals.
Oxidative stress, Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS) on water-solid (bulk and nano-catalysts) interfaces.
Nano-size surfactans (linked vitamin E and vitamin C) as antioxidants, improvement of antioxidant activity.