
Kuan (Alan) Liu
Research Interests
My research projects investigate the reliability of conventional silicon PV modules and new-generation perovskite modules, which is important as we make the shift to renewables and away from fossil fuels! The conventional silicon PV reliability project is in collaboration with NREL and Sandia National Labs, with the following techniques used: adhesion testing, DSC, FTIR, Soxhlet extraction (gel content), gel permeation chromatography, rheometer-DMA, TGA, nanoindentation, tensile testing, and computational fracture mechanics modeling. I also help out with the modeling side for the perovskite reliability projects.
Feel free to check out the projects that I’m working on below, and reach out if you'd like to discuss getting involved with the group or have questions on mechanical and polymer testing. In my free time, I like to compete in open water swimming, longboard down hills, play tennis, check out tattoo art, and listen to rock music.
Projects:
- Predicting Encapsulation Delamination in Photovoltaic Modules Bridging Photochemical Reaction Kinetics and Fracture Mechanics
- Investigating the Crosslinking, Degradation, and Adhesion Characteristics of Photovoltaic Encapsulants Under Accelerated Stress Testing
- Investigating the Properties of Biopolymers in Green Cosmetics and Construction
- Optically Monitored Degradation of Perovskite Solar Modules
- Thin-film thermal debonding fracture analysis of perovskite solar cell device layers
Publications
- K. Liu, D. C. Miller, N. Bosco, J. M. Newkirk, R. H. Dauskardt, "Accelerated Aging to Tune Multiscale Delamination Model and Inform IEC Testing Standards", in progress.
- T.C. Colburn, H. Park, S. Bindon, K. Liu, R.H. Dauskardt, “PIRO Aluminum Oxide Analysis with Synchotron Source”, in progress.
- G.B. Crane, J. Lee, K. Liu, F.G. Barrera, R.H. Dauskardt, “Cathode Mechanical Properties”, in progress.
- S.H. Rodriguez, K. Liu, C.L. Baynham, J. Vanegas, R.H. Dauskardt, "Thin Film Mechanics and Properties of Biopolymers", in progress.
- K. Liu, D. C. Miller, N. Bosco, J. M. Newkirk, T. Sakamoto and R. H. Dauskardt, "Investigating the Crosslinking, Degradation, and Adhesion Behavior of Photovoltaic Encapsulants Under Thermal Accelerated Aging," in IEEE Journal of Photovoltaics, doi: 10.1109/JPHOTOV.2024.3496512. https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/10804171
- K. Liu, D. C. Miller, N. Bosco and R. H. Dauskardt, "Determining the Crosslinking and Degradation Reaction Kinetics in Photovoltaic Encapsulants Using Accelerated Aging," 2024 IEEE 52nd Photovoltaic Specialist Conference (PVSC), Seattle, WA, USA, 2024, pp. 0909-0914, DOI: 10.1109/PVSC57443.2024.10749611
- T.W. Colburn, K. Liu, A. Carbone, O. Elsafty, and R.H. Dauskardt, "Mechanical Design Guidelines to Inhibit Fracture in Perovskite Solar Cells," Solar RRL, 2024. DOI: 2400321. https://doi.org/10.1002/solr.202400321
- K. Liu, P. Thornton, Dagmar R. D'hooge, R.H. Dauskardt, “Predicting Encapsulation Delamination in Photovoltaic Modules Using Photochemical Reaction Kinetics and Fracture Mechanics,” Progress in Photovoltaics, 2023. DOI: 10.1002/pip.3771 http://doi.org/10.1002/pip.3771
- M. Fievez, J. Huxel, K. Liu, A. Flick, T.W. Colburn, R.H. Dauskardt, "High-Throughput Optical Monitoring of Spray-coated Perovskite Photovoltaics Under Thermal Stress", in preparation.
Conference and Workshop Presentations
- K. Liu, D.C. Miller, N. Bosco, R.H. Dauskardt, “Steady-state and Sequenced Accelerated Aging to Reveal Degradation Pathways and Inform IEC Testing Standards”, NREL Photovoltaic Reliability Workshop, Lakewood, CO, March 4-6, 2025. Poster Presentation
- K. Liu, D.C. Miller, N. Bosco, R.H. Dauskardt, "Degradation Mechanisms and the Role of Sequenced Accelerated Testing to Ensure Long-Term Solar Module Encapsulation", Durable Materials Consortium Fall 2024 Workshop, September 17-18, 2024. Oral Presentation.
- K. Liu, D.C. Miller, N. Bosco, R.H. Dauskardt, "Determining the Photochemical Degradation and Crosslinking Kinetics in Photovoltaic Encapsulants Using Accelerated Aging", 2024 HOPE Workshop, July 15, 2024. Poster Presentation.
- K. Liu, D.C. Miller, N. Bosco, R.H. Dauskardt, "Determining the Photochemical Degradation and Crosslinking Kinetics in Photovoltaic Encapsulants Using Accelerated Aging", 2024 IEEE PVSC, June 13, 2024. Oral Presentation.
- K. Liu, D.C. Miller, N. Bosco, R.H. Dauskardt, "Predictive Mechanics and Photochemical Degradation Kinetics Modeling for Polymeric Encapsulants", Stanford MECON 2024. Oral and Poster Presentation. https://mecon2024.stanford.edu/kuan-liu
- K. Liu, D.C. Miller, N. Bosco, R.H. Dauskardt, "Predictive mechanics and photochemical degradation kinetics modeling for polymeric encapsulants", DuraMAT Webinar, April 8, 2024. Oral Presentation. https://www.duramat.org/news-and-events/webinars
- K. Liu, D.C. Miller, N. Bosco, R.H. Dauskardt, "Predictive mechanics and photochemical degradation kinetics modeling for polymeric encapsulants", NREL Photovoltaic Reliability Workshop, Lakewood, CO, February 28, 2024. Oral Presentation
- K. Liu, D.C. Miller, N. Bosco, R.H. Dauskardt, "Degradation mechanisms and the role of sequenced accelerated testing to ensure long-term solar module encapsulation", NREL Photovoltaic Reliability Workshop, Lakewood, CO, February 27-29, 2024. Poster Presentation
- R.H. Dauskardt, K. Liu, D.C. Miller, N. Bosco, “Predictive Fracture and Photochemical Reaction Kinetics Modeling for Module Encapsulants”, NIST/UL Solutions Workshop on PV Materials Durability, December 5-6, 2023. Oral Presentation
- K. Liu, D.C. Miller, N. Bosco, R.H. Dauskardt, “Improving Predictive Mechanics and Photochemical Degradation Kinetics Modeling for Polymeric Encapsulants”, Durable Materials Consortium, Albuquerque, NM, September 26, 2023. Oral Presentation
- K. Liu, R.H. Dauskardt, “Predictive fracture mechanics and photochemical reaction kinetics modeling of PV module reliability”, Materials Research Society, San Francisco, CA, April 11, 2023. Oral Presentation
- K. Liu, R.H. Dauskardt, “Predictive fracture mechanics and photochemical reaction kinetics modeling of PV module reliability”, Durable Materials Consortium, Breckenridge, CO, August 30, 2022. Oral Presentation
Teaching and Tutoring
- Teaching-as-Research (TAR) course - SGSI 2024
- STEM Tutor for SARC at Stanford (June 2024 - Aug 2024), (June 2023 - August 2023)
- Teaching Assistant & Guest Lecturer (Winter 2025, Fall 2023, Fall 2021): Matsci 251: Microstructure & Mechanical Properties
- Teaching Assistant & Guest Lecturer (Winter 2024): Matsci 358: Fracture and Fatigue of Materials and Thin Film Structures
- Teaching Assistant & Guest Lecturer (Spring 2022): Matsci 163/173: Mechanical Behavior Laboratory
- Guest Lecturer (Spring 2024): Matsci 208: Mechanical Properties of Materials
- Teaching Assistant: Energy@Stanford & SLAC (Apr. 2021 - Sep. 2021, Apr. 2022 - Sep. 2022)
- Freelance tutor in Santa Clara County (Sep. 2021 - present)
- High school math & science tutor for DoDream Academy (Aug. 2020 - June 2021) (15 hrs/wk)
- Coding Instructor for CodeFu, Freelance Tutor in Alameda County (2015-2019) (3 hrs/wk)
Other Contributions:
- FY 2023 DuraMAT Annual Report: https://www.nrel.gov/docs/fy24osti/88805.pdf
- FY 2022 DuraMAT Annual Report: https://www.nrel.gov/docs/fy23osti/85350.pdf
Papers Reviewed (Invited Reviewer):
- JPV-2024-02-0059-R