Direct　particle　receiver　of　the　concentrated　solar　power　(CSP)　with　a　supercritical　CO2　(sCO2)　Brayton　cycle　is　based　on　the　solid　particles　to　achieve　high　efficiency　at　high　temperature.　Among　all　kinds　of　solid　particles,　desert　sand　is　abundant　and　cheap,　however　its　solar　weighted　absorptance　and　thermal　stability　remain　to　be　improved.　In　this　work,　the　dark　desert　sands　were　obtained　by　in-situ　coating　transition　metal　oxides　via　sol-gel　combustion　process.　The　thermal　stability　of　the　resultant　samples　was　analyzed　according　to　the　changes　in　composition,　morphology　and　optical　properties　before　and　after　thermal　treatment　at　800　degrees　C　for　200　h.　Based　on　the　characterization　of　UV-Vis-NIR　diffuse　reflectance　spectroscopy,　the　solar　weighted　absorptance　of　each　sample　was　calculated.　Compared　with　the　original　particles,　all　of　dark　desert　sands　have　the　improved　solar　weighted　absorptance,　and　the　highest　value　of　0.8635　belongs　to　desert　sand　coated　with　spinel　CuMn2O4.　Moreover,　compared　to　the　original　desert　sand,　each　dark　desert　sand　has　superior　thermal　stability.　In　addition,　the　specific　heat　of　particles　was　measured　at　different　temperatures,　and　it　is　found　that　the　coating　has　lesser　effects　on　the　specific　heat　of　desert　sand.　The　solar　weighted　absorptance　of　dark　desert　sand　nearly　unchanged　after　attrition　and　the　coating　remained　well　maintained　on　the　surface　of　the　sample.　This　work　provides　a　practical　and　feasible　way　to　enhance　the　solar　weighted　absorptance　and　thermal　stability　of　desert　sand,　making　it　possible　to　apply　in　sCO2　CSP.