HEAT STORAGE MATERIAL

PURPOSE:To obtain a heat storage material which has some elasticity and shape retentivity, is in the form of a jelly with a low thermal conductivity, and is useful as a heat insulator, a cold insulator, etc., by mixing a specified hydrophilic polymer, an oxide glass, and water or a water-soluble alcohol in the specified proportions. CONSTITUTION:A heat storage material is obtained by mixing a hydrophilic polymer (A) (preferably PVA because of the low cost and availability), an oxide glass (B) (e.g., a borate glass), and component (C) comprising water and/or a water-soluble alcohol (preferably water because of the low cost and the ease of temperature control) so that the weight ratio of A to B is 100:1 to 100:50 and the weight ratio of C to A+B is (6 to 50):1. Since water is contained either in a state combined with a matrix formed from components A and B or as a molecular dispersion in the matrix, this heat storage material has some elasticity, reduced flowability as compared with a gel consisting of only PVA and water, and therefore has some shape retentivity.