Three-dimensional　porous　carbon　materials　have　received　extensive　attention　as　supports　for　shape-stabilized　phase　change　materials　(PCMs).　In　order　to　improve　the　loading　capacity,　thermal　conductivity　and　encapsulation　performance　for　PCMs,　a　three-dimensional　graphitized　carbon　foam　(GCF)　was　developed　with　gradient　hierarchical　porous　surface.　The　GCF　was　successfully　prepared　by　pyrolysis　of　nano-magnesium　oxide/epoxy　resin　mixture　followed　by　surface　treatment　through　a　carbon-thermal　reaction　of　Fe2O3.　Using　the　GCF　prepared　at　1200　°C　(GCF-1200)　as　a　support　for　stearic　acid　(SA),　a　novel　three-dimensional　network-based　SA/GCF　composite　was　achieved　as　shape-stabilized　PCM.　The　results　show　that　the　GCF-1200　has　a　large　SA　loading　capacity　of　84.66　wt%　without　any　liquid　leakage.　The　prepared　SA/GCF-1200　composite　exhibits　a　good　interfacial　bonding　between　the　GCF-1200　and　SA　without　obvious　phase　separation　in　its　fracture　surface.　The　composite　possesses　a　high　compressive　strength　of　9.45　MPa　increasing　by　about　3.02-fold　compared　with　the　GCF-1200,　and　meanwhile　has　a　significantly　improved　thermal　conductivity　of　1.012　W/m　K　by　4.36　times　that　of　pristine　SA.　In　addition,　the　melting　and　freezing　enthalpy　for　the　composite　was　measured　as　181.8　and　182.7　J/g,　respectively,　which　corresponds　to　a　thermal　storage　efficiency　of　up　to　99.9%.　More　importantly,　it　presents　excellent　thermal　reliability　and　chemical　stability　without　evident　changes　in　enthalpy　after　200　thermal　cycles.　Therefore,　the　composite　has　a　great　potential　for　thermal　energy　storage　applications.　©　2021　Elsevier　Ltd