Anewpotassiumnitrate(KNO_3)/diatomiteshape-stabilizedcompositephasechangematerial(SSCPCM)waspreparedbythemixingandsinteringmethod.KNO_3servedasthephasechangematerial(PCM)forthermalenergystorage,whilediatomiteactedasthecarriermatrixtoprovidethestructuralstrengthandpreventtheleakageofPCM.ItwasfoundthatKNO_3couldberetained65wt%intoporesandonsurfacesofdiatomitewithouttheleakageofmeltedKNO_3fromtheSS-CPCM.ThecalculatedfillingrateofmoltenKNO_3thatcouldenterintothedisc-likeshapeporeofdiatomiteverifiedthescanningelectronicmicroscopyimagesofSS-CPCM.X-raydiffractionandFouriertransforminfraredspectroscopyresultsshowedthatnoreactionoccurredbetweenKNO_3anddiatomite,performinggoodcompatibility.Accordingtothedifferentialscanningcalorimetryresults,after50thermalcycles,thephasechangetemperaturesformeltingandfreezingofSS-CPCMwith65wt%KNO_3werechangedfrom330.23°Cand332.90°Cto330.11°Cand332.84°Candcorrespondinglatentheatsvariedfrom60.52J/gand47.30J/gto54.64J/gand41.25J/g,respectively.TheKNO_3/diatomiteSS-CPCMmaybeconsideredasapotentialstoragemediainsolarpowerplantsforthermalenergystorage.
