Showing papers by "Jian Chen published in 2020"
TL;DR: In this paper, the phase profile on the metasurface could be dynamically manipulated by switching the “0” and “1” states of each element, and a maximum deflection angle of 32° was achieved.
Abstract: The coding metasurface integrated with tunable materials offers an attractive alternative to manipulate the THz beam dynamically. In this work, we demonstrate a THz programmable metasurface based on liquid crystal. The phase profile on the metasurface could be dynamically manipulated by switching the “0” and “1” states of each element. The programmable metasurface could deflect the THz beam using the designed coding sequence, and a maximum deflection angle of 32° has been achieved. The presented design opens a route of beamforming for THz communication.
143 citations
TL;DR: An ultracompact asymmetric Fabry-Perot (F-P) nanocavity-type electrochromic device formed by using partially reflective metal tungsten as the current collector and reflector layer simultaneously is demonstrated.
Abstract: Intercalation-based inorganic materials that change their colours upon ion insertion/extraction lay an important foundation for existing electrochromic technology. However, using only such inorganic electrochromic materials, it is very difficult to achieve the utmost goal of full-colour tunability for future electrochromic technology mainly due to the absence of structural flexibility. Herein, we demonstrate an ultracompact asymmetric Fabry-Perot (F-P) nanocavity-type electrochromic device formed by using partially reflective metal tungsten as the current collector and reflector layer simultaneously; this approach enables fairly close matching of the reflections at both interfaces of the WO3 thin layer in device form, inducing a strong interference. Such an interference-enhanced device that is optically manipulated at the nanoscale displays various structural colours before coloration and, further, can change to other colours including blue, red, and yellow by changing the optical indexes (n, k) of the tungsten oxide layer through ion insertion.
142 citations
TL;DR: Diatomite-based composite phase change materials (PCMs) with enhanced properties were prepared by vacuum impregnation method for thermal energy storage in this article, where expanded graphite (EG) was introduced as a support matrix together with Dm at a weight ratio of 1:10 of EG to Dm.
108 citations
TL;DR: The purpose of this paper is to provide a full review of the latest research advances in the prognostics of PEMFCs, especially the degradation indexes, and the challenges and future directions of progNostics research are analyzed.
Abstract: Prognostics is a promising solution to the short lifetime and high-cost bottlenecks of proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs). The advances of PEMFCs prognostics research can be divided into two main categories, namely, the innovations of prognostics methods and the innovations of degradation indexes. Among them, the degradation indexes are the prerequisites for accurate prognostics of PEMFCs. Although many prognostics methods have been proposed in recent years to improve the performance of prognostics, the research on degradation indexes of PEMFCs has been slow, and few studies have focused on more effective and more general degradation indexes. Currently, the most widely used degradation indexes are still the traditional indexes, which only reflect the macro-scale degradation of PEMFCs, such as voltage and power. In addition, the traditional indexes change as operating conditions change. For PEMFCs under dynamic operating conditions, especially in transportation applications, it is difficult to obtain accurate degradation information based on the traditional indexes. Due to the lack of more accurate, comprehensive, and general degradation indexes, the existing prognostics methods inevitably have limitations and deficiencies. The purpose of this paper is to provide a full review of the latest research advances in the prognostics of PEMFCs, especially the degradation indexes. Moreover, the challenges and future directions of prognostics research are also analyzed.
104 citations
TL;DR: In this article, the authors presented the visible-light-driven photocatalytic water oxidation on bipyridine-based COFs (Bp-COF), which was synthesized through the Schiff base condensation reaction.
Abstract: Covalent organic frameworks (COFs) with band gap engineering characters are attractive organic semiconductors. Although several COFs are being utilized for photocatalytic H2 production and CO2 reduction, few of them can realize the challenging water oxidation under visible light. Herein, we present the visible-light-driven photocatalytic water oxidation on bipyridine-based COFs (Bp-COF), which was synthesized through the Schiff base condensation reaction. Bp-COF displays impressive visible-light-driven water oxidation activity with O2 evolution rate of 152 μmol g−1 h−1 after coordinating with Co2+. Furthermore, the Bp-COF could also enable photocatalytic H2 production under visible light. The unique photocatalytic performance of BpCo-COF for both water oxidation and proton reduction could be attributed to its excellent light harvesting property, appropriate energy band structure, high porosity and wettability as well as coordinated cobalt for photocatalytic water splitting. This work demonstrates the potential of COFs as semiconductors for photocatalytic solar fuels conversion.
101 citations
TL;DR: In this article, a unique eutectoid-structured WC/W2C heterostructure was proposed for hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) electrocatalysis in alkaline media.
92 citations
TL;DR: The first ever Fabry-Perot (F-P) cavity-type electrochromic supercapacitors based only on a tungsten oxide material are reported, which were sensitively changeable according to their charge/discharge states and displayed a wide variety of fantastic patterns consisting of different, vivid colors.
Abstract: Electrochromic supercapacitors that can change their appearances according to their charged states are presently attracting significant interest from both academia and industry. Tungsten oxide is often used in electrochromic supercapacitors because it can serve as an active material for both benchmarking electrochromic devices and high-performance supercapacitor electrodes. Despite this, acceptable visual aesthetics in electrochromic supercapacitors have almost never been achieved using tungsten oxide, because, in its pure form, this compound only displays a 1-fold color modulation from transparent to blue. Herein, we defy this trend by reporting the first ever Fabry-Perot (F-P) cavity-type electrochromic supercapacitors based only on a tungsten oxide material. The devices were sensitively changeable according to their charge/discharge states and displayed a wide variety of fantastic patterns consisting of different, vivid colors, with both simple and complex designs being achieved. Our findings suggested a novel direction for the aesthetic design of intelligent, multifunctional electrochemical energy storage devices.
86 citations
TL;DR: In this article, SSD-CBO synthesized by SSD, carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC), borax decahydrate, and OP-10 successfully suppressed supercooling, phase separation, and phase separation.
83 citations
TL;DR: This article reviews the types, the causes and negative effects, the effects of parasitic parameters and suppression methods of these switching oscillations of wide bandgap devices, and the advantages and disadvantages of these methods are presented.
Abstract: Wide bandgap (WBG) devices offer the advantages of high frequency, high efficiency, and high power density to power converters due to their excellent performance. However, their low parasitic capacitance and fast switching speed also make them more susceptible to switching oscillations. The switching oscillations can cause voltage and current overshoots, shoot-through, electromagnetic interference, additional power loss, and even device damage, which can seriously affect the performance of power converters and systems. However, a comprehensive and in-depth overview is lacking on this topic. This article reviews the types, the causes and negative effects, the effects of parasitic parameters and suppression methods of these switching oscillations, which is helpful for practical engineering. First, the switching oscillations are divided into different types, and their causes and negative effects are reviewed. Then, the effects of different parasitic parameters on the switching oscillations are overviewed. It is found that due to the different physical structures of silicon carbide metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistors, enhancement-mode gallium nitride high-electron mobility transistors (eGaN HEMTs), and cascode GaN HEMTs, the effects are also different. Finally, the main methods of suppressing the switching oscillations are summarized, and the advantages and disadvantages of these methods are presented. Furthermore, future research works on this topic and the conclusion of this paper are drawn, which will help readers deepen their understanding of the switching oscillations of WBG devices, and inspire readers to better use WBG devices for high-frequency and high-efficient power conversion.
81 citations
TL;DR: In this article, a self-interlocked stretchable, breathable and waterproof nanofibers-membrane by simultaneous electrospinning of poly (vinylidene fluoride-co-hexafluoropropylene) and electrospraying of styrene-ethylene-butylene-styrene (SEBS) microspheres serve as elastic binders and hydrophobic modifiers for enhancing stretchability and waterproofness of the electrospun PVDF-HFP fibers network.
70 citations
01 Apr 2020
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors presented a cost-effective and environment-friendly form-stabilized phase change material (PCM) and corresponding solar thermal application in the tankless solar water heater (TSWH).
Abstract: This work presents a cost-effective and environment-friendly form-stabilized phase change material (PCM) and corresponding solar thermal application in the tankless solar water heater (TSWH). Coconut shell charcoal (CSC) as supporting material was modified by moderate oxidant of H2O2 with different concentrations, and then stabilized stearic acid (SA) to prepare composite PCMs through vacuum impregnation. It found that CSC support causes a 15.70% improvement of SA loadage after treated by 15% H2O2 due to coefficient enhancement by physical interaction and surface modification. The modified CSC15 support appears more super macropores which contribute to the impregnation of SA than non-modified CSC0 support verifying from SEM and BET results. And the content of oxygen functional groups was increased after oxidation modification, also motivating SA stabilization by hydrogen bond interaction in XPS analysis. FTIR results proved there is no chemical reaction happened between SA and CSC. Moreover, the latent heat and phase transition temperature of the as-prepared SA/CSC15 composite are 76.69 J g−1 and 52.52 °C, respectively. All composites exhibit excellent thermal stability under a working temperature of 180 °C and form stability during phase change. Thermal energy storage-release test within 70 °C presents the composite has fast heat transfer efficiency than pure SA. The composite filled in TSWH system has 0.75 W m−1 K−1 thermal conductivity which is 2.88 times higher than that of pure SA (0.26 W m−1 K−1). Besides, the TSWH system with a flow rate of 0.004 kg s−1 could heat water effectively after sunset and the energy obtained from the thermal storage system within 1830 s testing times is about 0.15 kW h. In all, SA/CSC composite with good physical-thermo properties has potential in thermal energy storage application, especially in solar energy storage.
TL;DR: The observation of a gate-controlled switching between two electronic states in Gd@C82 shows electric polarization switching behaviour under a gate bias voltage, thus demonstrating a single-molecule electret device.
Abstract: Electrets are dielectric materials that have a quasi-permanent dipole polarization. A single-molecule electret is a long-sought-after nanoscale component because it can lead to miniaturized non-volatile memory storage devices. The signature of a single-molecule electret is the switching between two electric dipole states by an external electric field. The existence of these electrets has remained controversial because of the poor electric dipole stability in single molecules. Here we report the observation of a gate-controlled switching between two electronic states in Gd@C82. The encapsulated Gd atom forms a charged centre that sets up two single-electron transport channels. A gate voltage of ±11 V (corresponding to a coercive field of ~50 mV A–1) switches the system between the two transport channels with a ferroelectricity-like hysteresis loop. Using density functional theory, we assign the two states to two different permanent electrical dipole orientations generated from the Gd atom being trapped at two different sites inside the C82 cage. The two dipole states are separated by a transition energy barrier of 11 meV. The conductance switching is then attributed to the electric-field-driven reorientation of the individual dipole, as the coercive field provides the necessary energy to overcome the transition barrier. A Gd@C82 molecule shows electric polarization switching behaviour under a gate bias voltage, thus demonstrating a single-molecule electret device.
TL;DR: Compared with anhydrous WO 3, the as-synthesized WO3·2H2O nanoplates exhibited remarkably improved NIR electrochromic properties, including a large transmittance modulation, high coloration efficiency, and high cyclic stability, which were comparable to the best reported NIR Electrochromic materials.
Abstract: Near-infrared (NIR) electrochromism is of academic and technological interest for a variety of applications in advanced solar heat regulation, photodynamic therapy, optical telecommunications, and military camouflage However, inorganic materials with outstanding NIR modulation capability are quite few Herein, we propose a promising strategy for achieving strong NIR electrochromism in tungsten oxide that is closely related to its electrochemical transformation from battery-type behavior to pseudocapacitance, induced by introducing an interlayer space with water molecules within tungsten oxide Further evidence demonstrates that the interlayer water molecules significantly reduced the energy barrier to ion diffusion and increased the ion flux in tungsten oxide As a result, compared with anhydrous WO3, the as-synthesized WO3·2H2O nanoplates exhibited remarkably improved NIR electrochromic properties, including a large transmittance modulation (904%), high coloration efficiency (3226 cm2 C-1), and high cyclic stability (maintaining 937% after 500 cycles), which were comparable to those of the best reported NIR electrochromic materials Moreover, the application of the WO3·2H2O nanoplate-based electrochromic device resulted in a temperature difference of 119 °C, indicating good solar thermal regulation ability
TL;DR: It is revealed that decreasing incidence of global gastric cancer was accompanied by widening sex difference in the past few decades, and greater sex difference was found in older age and in more developed countries.
Abstract: Objectives To investigate sex difference in global gastric cancer incidence by year, age and socioeconomical status. Design An international comparative study. Setting We obtained the global and national sex-specific incidence of gastric caner by year and age from the Global Burden of Disease Study 2017. The human development index (HDI) in 2017 as an indicator of national socioeconomical status was extracted from the Human Development Report. Main outcome measures Sex-specific incidence of gastric cancer was compared by year and age at the global level. Linear regression analyses were performed to explore socioeconomic-associated sex difference in gastric cancer incidence. Results Despite declining incidence of global gastric cancer in both sexes between 1990 and 2017, relative sex difference showed an increasing trend, with male to female ratios of age-standardised incidence rates (ASRs) rising from 1.86 to 2.20. Sex difference was almost negligible under 45 years of age and relative difference maximised in the age range of 65–69 years with male to female ratios of ASRs being 2.74. Both absolute sex difference (standardised β=0.256, p Conclusions This study revealed that decreasing incidence of global gastric cancer was accompanied by widening sex difference in the past few decades. Men always had higher incidence than women. Greater sex difference was found in older age and in more developed countries. These findings highlight the importance of making sex-sensitive health policy to cope with the global gastric cancer burden.
TL;DR: In this article, a sensorized pneumatic soft actuator (PSA) is designed by integrating TENG-based self-powered sensors inside the chambers, which give feedback on the dynamic and static configurations of the PSA.
TL;DR: In this article, a surface etching of core Fe3O4 microspheres in HCl followed by polymerization/carbonization was proposed to improve the microwave absorption performance of e-Fe3O 4@C composite microsphere films.
TL;DR: A novel 2D confined electrocatalyst composed of core-shell structured tin oxide nanoparticles encapsulated into N-doped carbon supported on electrochemically exfoliated graphene (SnO2⊃NC@EEG) prepared by in-situ carbonization of 2-methylimidazole/ SnO2 complex@polyvinyl pyrrolidone (PVP)-modified EEG precursor is reported.
Abstract: Developing low-cost and effective electrocatalysts for electrochemical reduction of CO2 (CO2ER) is critical to CO2 conversion and utilization. Herein, we report a novel two-dimensional (2D) confine...
TL;DR: A novel tri-level robust planning-operation co-optimization model, which is composed of security-operation and optimal-dispatch cutting planes, is introduced to solve the non-convex min-max-min optimization problem of DES.
TL;DR: In this paper, exfoliated metallic niobium disulfate (NbS2) nanosheets were used for an electrochemical nitrogen reduction reaction (NRR) under mild conditions.
Abstract: Electrochemical nitrogen reduction reaction (NRR) under mild conditions is an attractive prospect for ammonia synthesis. However, this process faces with poor ammonia yield rate and low Faradic efficiency. Herein, we developed exfoliated metallic niobium disulfate (NbS2) nanosheets for an electrochemical NRR. Owing to more exposed active sites and high electron transfer ability, the exfoliated NbS2 nanosheets show an extraordinary activity for electrochemical NRR. A high Faradaic efficiency of 10.12 % with an ammonia yield rate of 37.58 μg h−1 mg−1cat is achieved at −0.5 V versus reversible hydrogen electrode (RHE). The Nb4+ species of exfoliated NbS2 are confirmed as active sites for NRR. When the exfoliated NbS2 nanosheets are further assembled into a Zn-N2 battery and serve as the cathode, an energy density of 714 mA h g−1 with a power density of 0.31 mW cm−2 is achieved. Notably, electrochemical NRR on exfoliated NbS2 nanosheets can be further driven by solar energy.
TL;DR: In this article, multi-component composites consisting of SiC, Ni, NiO, and C nanoparticles (NPs) are fabricated by annealing SiC NPs and the Ni-based metal organic framework (Ni-MOF) in argon.
TL;DR: In this paper, a facile Li+-assisted hydrothermal exfoliation method from pristine hexagonal boron nitride (HBN) was used as supporting material and thermal conductivity additive to prepare form-stabilized composite phase change material (PCM) by vacuum impregnation.
TL;DR: A novel, immune‐related prognostic signature for patients with CRC is identified and validated, and this signature reflects the dysregulated tumour immune microenvironment and has a potential for better CRC patient management.
Abstract: Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the most commonly diagnosed cancers with an estimated 18 million new cases worldwide and associated with high mortality rates of 881 000 CRC‐related deaths in 2018 Screening programs and new therapies have only marginally improved the survival of CRC patients Immune‐related genes (IRGs) have attracted attention in recent years as therapeutic targets The aim of this study was to identify an immune‐related prognostic signature for CRC To this end, we combined gene expression and clinical data from the CRC data sets of The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) into an integrated immune landscape profile We identified a total of 476 IRGs that were differentially expressed in CRC vs normal tissues, of which 18 were survival related according to univariate Cox analysis Stepwise multivariate Cox proportional hazards analysis established an immune‐related prognostic signature consisting of SLC10A2, FGF2, CCL28, NDRG1, ESM1, UCN, UTS2 and TRDC The predictive ability of this signature for 3‐ and 5‐year overall survival was determined using receiver operating characteristics (ROC), and the respective areas under the curve (AUC) were 792% and 766% The signature showed moderate predictive accuracy in the validation and {"type":"entrez-geo","attrs":{"text":"GSE38832","term_id":"38832"}}GSE38832 data sets as well Furthermore, the 8‐IRG signature correlated significantly with tumour stage, invasion, lymph node metastasis and distant metastasis by univariate Cox analysis, and was established an independent prognostic factor by multivariate Cox regression analysis for CRC Gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA) revealed a relationship between the IRG prognostic signature and various biological pathways Focal adhesions and ECM‐receptor interactions were positively correlated with the risk scores, while cytosolic DNA sensing and metabolism‐related pathways were negatively correlated Finally, the bioinformatics results were validated by real‐time RT‑qPCR In conclusion, we identified and validated a novel, immune‐related prognostic signature for patients with CRC, and this signature reflects the dysregulated tumour immune microenvironment and has a potential for better CRC patient management
TL;DR: A complete and accurate switching analytical model ofLow-voltage eGaN HEMTs is presented, which considers the effects of low-parasitic inductances, nonlinear junction capacitances and nonlinear transconductances, and is compared with the traditional model, which proves the advantages of the proposed model.
Abstract: Low-voltage enhancement-mode gallium nitride high electron mobility transistors (eGaN HEMTs) are a kind of promising devices to realize high-efficiency and high-power-density conversion because of their fast switching speed, low conduction, and switching losses. Since the reverse conduction loss of eGaN HEMTs accounts for a large part of switching losses, it is of great importance to improve the traditional switching analytical model to predict the reverse conduction loss. In this paper, a complete and accurate switching analytical model of low-voltage eGaN HEMTs is presented, which considers the effects of low-parasitic inductances, nonlinear junction capacitances and nonlinear transconductances. The turn- on and turn- off switching processes are described in detail, and the resulting equations are solved by using mathematical software such as MATLAB to predict the switching waveforms during the switching periods. And an accurate loss calculation method based on the proposed model is proposed including the reverse conduction loss. The accuracy of the proposed model is validated by comparing the predicted switching waveforms and the efficiency of a synchronous buck converter with the experimental results, respectively. Moreover, the proposed model is compared with the traditional model, which proves the advantages of the proposed model. In the end, according to the proposed complete model, the effect of the top switch (TS) gate resistance, the TS drain-source capacitance, power loop inductance, current ripple, the bottom switch (BS) gate resistance, the BS drain-source capacitance, and dead time on the loss breakdown of the synchronous buck converter is explored and some qualitative suggestions are given to improve the conversion efficiency based on these analyzing results.
TL;DR: In this article, the compressive deformation behavior of a heat treated metastable β titanium alloy was investigated with a Gleeble 1500 machine and the results showed that samples with different microstructures have different responses to the change of deformation speed.
Sun Yat-sen University1, Agency for Science, Technology and Research2, Nanyang Technological University3, Vita-Salute San Raffaele University4, Guangxi Medical University5, Nanchang University6, Huazhong University of Science and Technology7, Shanghai Jiao Tong University8, Fujian Medical University9, Peking University10, Nanjing University11, National University of Singapore12
TL;DR: A meta-analysis of GWAS data revealed three novel genetic risk loci for IgAN, and three HLA polymorphisms and two SNPs within the MHC region, and demonstrated the genetic heterogeneity of seven loci out of 24 confirmed risk SNPs.
Abstract: Background Eighteen known susceptibility loci for IgAN account for only a small proportion of IgAN risk. Methods Genome-wide meta-analysis was performed in 2628 patients and 11,563 controls of Chinese ancestry, and a replication analysis was conducted in 6879 patients and 9019 controls of Chinese descent and 1039 patients and 1289 controls of European ancestry. The data were used to assess the association of susceptibility loci with clinical phenotypes for IgAN, and to investigate genetic heterogeneity of IgAN susceptibility between the two populations. Imputation-based analysis of the MHC/HLA region extended the scrutiny. Results Identification of three novel loci (rs6427389 on 1q23.1 [P=8.18×10-9, OR=1.132], rs6942325 on 6p25.3 [P=1.62×10-11, OR=1.165], and rs2240335 on 1p36.13 [P=5.10×10-9, OR=1.114]), implicates FCRL3, DUSP22.IRF4, and PADI4 as susceptibility genes for IgAN. Rs2240335 is associated with the expression level of PADI4, and rs6427389 is in high linkage disequilibrium with rs11264799, which showed a strong expression quantitative trail loci effect on FCRL3. Of the 24 confirmed risk SNPs, six showed significant heterogeneity of genetic effects and DEFA showed clear evidence of allelic heterogeneity between the populations. Imputation-based analysis of the MHC region revealed significant associations at three HLA polymorphisms (HLA allele DPB1*02, AA_DRB1_140_32657458_T, and AA_DQA1_34_32717152) and two SNPs (rs9275464 and rs2295119). Conclusions A meta-analysis of GWAS data revealed three novel genetic risk loci for IgAN, and three HLA polymorphisms and two SNPs within the MHC region, and demonstrated the genetic heterogeneity of seven loci out of 24 confirmed risk SNPs. These variants may explain susceptibility differences between Chinese and European populations.
TL;DR: HE treatment attenuated CI/R-induced apoptosis and inflammatory cytokine expression within the infarcted areas and has potential to be used for the clinical treatment of ischaemic stroke.
Abstract: Cerebral ischaemia/reperfusion (CI/R) injury is a major challenge due to the lack of effective neuroprotective drugs. Hederagenin (HE) is the aglycone part of saponins extracted from Hedera helix Linne that has exhibited anti-apoptotic and anti-inflammatory effects; however, the role of HE in CI/R has not been elucidated. In this study, mice were intraperitoneally (i.p.) injected with HE (26.5, 53, or 106 μmol/kg body weight) for 3 days after middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO). Neural function and brain infarct volume were evaluated. HE treatment attenuated CI/R-induced apoptosis and inflammatory cytokine expression within the infarcted areas. HE treatment also decreased the activation of the MLK3 signalling pathway, which potentiates CI/R damage via the MAPK and NFκB pathways. Due to HE's safety profile, it has potential to be used for the clinical treatment of ischaemic stroke.
21 May 2020-Materials Science and Engineering A-structural Materials Properties Microstructure and Processing
TL;DR: In this paper, a superior improved ductility (12%) of SLM processed pure tantalum sample with a comparable tensile strength (exceeds 750 MPa) using triple heat treatment was achieved.
Abstract: Obtaining pure tantalum sample with high strength and ductility through selective laser melting (SLM) process has become a significant challenge. In this study, a superior improved ductility (12%) of SLM processed pure tantalum sample with a comparable tensile strength (exceeds 750 MPa) using triple heat treatment was achieved. The gradual globularization of the columnar grains during annealing and the formation of dislocation slip result in the high tensile elongation. The maintenance of high strength is mainly attributed to the ultrafine cellular structures, the accumulation of dislocations and the precipitation of hexagonal close-packed (HCP) phase during tensile process. The present study will provide significant guidance for the SLM processed pure tantalum with high strength and ductility.
TL;DR: In this article, the authors investigated the fatigue crack propagation behavior of Nafion 212 and nafion XL composite membranes after chemical degradation and provided new insights into the failure mechanisms under combined chemical and mechanical degradations.
TL;DR: In this article, Stearic acid (SA) was blended with copper foam (CF) of pore numbers per inch (PPI) of 5, 20, and 40 to prepare composite phase change materials via a molten impregnation method.
Abstract: The application of stearic acid in the latent thermal energy storage (LTES) systems is hindered due to its lower heat transfer rate. Stearic acid (SA) was blended with copper foam (CF) of pore numbers per inch (PPI) of 5, 20, and 40 to prepare composite phase change materials via a molten impregnation method. The thermal physical properties including latent heat, phase change temperature, and thermal energy storage density of composites were characterized. The thermogravimetric analysis indicated that the loadages of SA of SA/CF(5 PPI), SA/CF(20 PPI), and SA/CF(40 PPI) were 74.69%, 71.03%, and 63.54%, respectively; The latent heat of SA/CF(5 PPI), SA/CF(20 PPI), and SA/CF(40 PPI) were determined to 139.9 J-g-1, 132.7 J-g-1, and 117.8 J-g-1, respectively. Meanwhile, the infrared thermal images of SA and SA/CF composites were provided to demonstrate the thermal energy storage and dissipation capability intuitively by the temperature response and surface temperature distribution. The infrared thermal images indicated the addition of CF also reduced the fluidity of liquid SA, and the SA/CF(40 PPI) had better internal heat transfer uniformity and thermal diffusion performance than SA/CF(5 PPI) and SA/CF(20 PPI). All these thermal properties suggested SA/CF(40 PPI) has the potential application in the latent thermal energy storage.