A　novel　stearic　acid/modified　expanded　vermiculite　composite　phase　change　material　(PCM)　was　prepared　in　this　study.　Titanium　dioxide-loaded　expanded　vermiculite　was　treated　with　nitric　acid　(aEVT)　and　then　used　as　stearic　acid　(SA)　supporting　matrix.　The　thermal　conductivity　and　latent　heats　of　the　SA/aEVT　composite　PCM　were　enhanced　simultaneously　compared　with　those　of　SA/expanded　vermiculite　(EV)　and　SA/expanded　vermiculite　with　acid　treatment　(aEV)　composite　PCMs.　The　thermal　conductivity　of　SA/aEVT　was　0.58　W/mK,　which　was　11.4%　and　203%　higher　than　those　of　SA/EV　and　SA/aEV,　respectively.　The　latent　heats　of　SA/aEVT　were　146.8　J/g　at　the　melting　temperature　of　65.9　degrees　C　and　141.7　J/g　at　the　freezing　temperature　of　63.4　degrees　C,　which　were　also　higher　than　those　of　SA/EV　and　SA/aEV.　The　results　of　the　thermal　cycling　test　and　Fourier　transform　infrared　spectroscopy　(FT-IR)　indicated　that　the　SA/aEVT　composite　PCM　was　thermally　stable　and　chemically　inert.　Thus,　the　prepared　SA/aEVT　is　a　promising　composite　PCM　for　latent　heat　storage　systems.　(C)　2016　Elsevier　B.V.　All　rights　reserved.