To　simultaneously　improve　the　photothermal　conversion　and　encapsulation　capacity　of　phase　change　material　(PCM),　a　three-dimensional　hierarchical　porous　carbon　surface-decorated　graphitic　carbon　foam　(SGF)　was　developed.　Employing　this　SGF　as　an　encapsulated　skeleton　for　stearic　acid　(SA),　a　unique　shape-stabilized　SA/SGF　composite　PCM　was　successfully　prepared　after　vacuum　impregnation.　The　porous　carbon　surface　exhibits　a　uniform　and　fluffy　three-dimensional　continuous　network　structure　well　adhered　onto　the　pore　walls　of　the　SGF;　it　can　act　as　a　desirable　interfacial　layer　between　SA　and　the　SGF,　which　gives　the　composite　effective　encapsulation　performance　and　good　interfacial　compatibility.　The　as-prepared　composite　has　a　loading　capacity　of　78.16%　for　melted　SA　without　any　leakage,　and　possesses　a　thermal　conductivity　of　3.25　W/mK　with　1377%　higher　than　that　of　SA　and　a　compressive　strength　of　4.41　MPa　(increasing　283.5%　than　the　SGF).　Further,　the　melting　and　crystallization　enthalpy　of　the　composite　reaches　167.6　J/g　and　167.5　J/g,　respectively,　with　a　thermal　storage　efficiency　of　up　to　95.13%;　meanwhile,　it　displays　excellent　thermal　cycle　stability　revealed　by　keeping　an　enthalpy　of　92.80%　after　200　thermal　cycles.　More　importantly,　it　presents　a　high　photothermal　conversion　of　90.14%　at　200　mW/cm2　with　the　ability　to　serve　as　a　stable　heat　source　during　solar-thermal-electric　conversion.　Consequently,　the　composite　has　great　potential　in　solar　storage　and　waste　heat　recycle.　©　2023　Elsevier　Ltd