Skeleton Material Research Articles

Ultra-high space utilization of wood/phenolic resin-derived thick carbon electrode for advanced storge devices

The thick electrode design with high packing density of active materials can increase the capacity in a limited space. However, the key challenge is still to develop a system with high space utilization and ensure electron/ion transport in thick electrode. This work proposes an interesting “rebar-concrete” structure, which successfully prepared wood/phenolic resin-derived thick electrode with high space utilization by in-situ polymerization of phenolic resin (concrete) in the wood (rebar) channel. The electrode exhibits an excellent three-dimensional interconnected hierarchical pore structure due to the uniform activation of in-situ anchored KOH particles. The mass loading (35 mg cm−2) and areal capacitance (11F cm−2) of the obtained composite electrode are increased to 446 % and 1257 % of the original balsa wood, respectively. The assembled symmetric supercapacitor (SSC) exhibits a high energy density of 0.63 mWh cm−2 (3.91 mWh cm−3) and an excellent cycle stability (95 % retention after 50 000 cycles), showing good practicability in lighting LEDs or driving a fan. This strategy achieves effective coupling of self-supporting skeleton and powder materials, providing more insights and possibilities for the preparation of high energy density thick electrodes.

Construction of Porphyrin-Based Bimetallic Nanomaterials with Photocatalytic Properties

The efficient synthesis of nanosheets containing two metal ions is currently a formidable challenge. Here, we attempted to dope lanthanide-based bimetals into porphyrin-based metal-organic skeleton materials (MOFs) by microwave-assisted heating. The results of the EDX, ICP, and XPS tests show that we have successfully synthesized porphyrin-based lanthanide bimetallic nanosheets (Tb-Eu-TCPP) using a household microwave oven. In addition, it is tested and experimentally evident that these nanosheets have a thinner thickness, a larger BET surface area, and higher photogenerated carrier separation efficiency than bulk porphyrin-based bimetallic materials, thus exhibiting enhanced photocatalytic activity and n-type semiconductor properties. Furthermore, the prepared Tb-Eu-TCPP nanomaterials are more efficient in generating single-linear state oxygen under visible light irradiation compared to pristine monometallic nanosheets due to the generation of bimetallic nodes. The significant increase in catalytic activity is attributed to the improved separation and transfer efficiency of photogenerated carriers. This study not only deepens our understanding of lanthanide bimetallic nanosheet materials but also introduces an innovative approach to improve the photocatalytic performance of MOFs.

Novel high thermal conductivity alumina/salt composites for thermal energy storage: Effect of wettability on microstructure and properties

In this work, alumina foam ceramics (AFC) were prepared by foaming method, and AFC/salt composite phase change materials were prepared by melt infiltration method using AFC as skeleton materials. The results showed that AFC had good chemical compatibility with Na2SO4 and NaCl. The salt contents of AFC/Na2SO4 and AFC/NaCl were 37.8 wt% and 31.7 wt%, respectively, with compressive strength of 100.1 MPa and 72.8 MPa, thermal conductivity of 5.53 W/m·K and 6.40 W/m·K, and energy density of 1129 J/g and 1019 J/g, respectively. Due to the better wettability, AFC and Na2SO4 form a chimeric structure, which has better binding and bonding strength, and is not prone to molten salt leakage. AFC/ Na2SO4 is expected to be applied to industrial waste heat recovery and solar thermal power generation with periodic temperature changes.

A Dual Encapsulation Strategy for High-Temperature Micro PCM Particles with High Cyclic Durability.

Addressing critical issues such as high-temperature corrosion, leakage, degradation, and subpar cyclic performance is imperative for phase change materials (PCMs), prompting the development of appropriate encapsulation techniques to surmount these challenges. In this study, a dual encapsulation strategy is proposed for high-temperature micro PCM particles. Al-Si core is microencapsulated via the "solvent evaporation-heating curing" method. Subsequently, TiO2 is employed as the skeleton material for form-stable encapsulation of PCM microcapsules by "cold pressed sintering". Detailed analysis of the crystalline phase transformation mechanism in the sintering synthesis pathway of TiO2 underscore its potential as a robust structural material with exceptional thermal stability. Furthermore, the incorporation of hexagonal boron nitride (hBN) results in a substantial enhancement of the thermal conductivity of the composites, increasing by 121.1-131.3%. The prepared form-stable phase change microcapsules (FSPCMs) are subjected to 5000 thermal cycles in the air atmosphere. There is no observed PCM leakage or composite ruptures in the FSPCM. Moreover, the oxidized mass gain is merely 3.3%, signifying exceptional oxidation resistance. Thermophysical analysis indicates that FSPCM can retain 91.3% of the enthalpy after 2000 cycles, with over 80% preservation after 5000 cycles, underscoring its remarkable cyclic thermal durability.

Spatiotemporally controlled AuNPs@ZIF-8 based nanocarriers for synergistic photothermal/chemodynamic therapy

High efficiency and spatio-temporal control remains a challenge for multi-modal synergistic cancer therapy. Herein, based on gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) and zeolite-like imidazole skeleton material (ZIF-8), a spatio-temporal controllable photothermal/ chemical dynamic/ chemotherapy three modal synergistic anti-tumor nano-carrier (HAZD) was developed. HAZD has a size of 128.75 ± 11.86 nm, a drug loading ratio of 21.5 ± 2.2 % and an encapsulation efficiency of 71.8 ± 1.7 %. Stability, acid responsive release character, outstanding catalytic ability to generate ROS, relatively high thermal conversion efficiency up to 62.38 % and spatio-temporal controllable abilities are also found within this nano-carrier. Furthermore, HAZD performed good antitumor ability in vivo with the comprehensive effects of photothermal/ chemical dynamic/ chemotherapy. The tumor growth inhibition value is 97.1 % within 12 days, indicating its great potential in multi-modal synergistic cancer therapy. Statement of significanceCancer remains one of the major culprits that seriously harm human health currently. With the development of materials and nanotechnology, great improvements have been made in multimodal anti-tumor strategies. However, temporal- and spatial-controllable multi-modal synergistic nanocarriers are urgently awaited for efficient and low-toxicity tumor therapy. This article proposes a spatio-temporally controllable three-modal anti-tumor strategy and designs an anti-tumor drug delivery system based on gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) and zeolite-like imidazole skeleton material (ZIF-8), which shows acid-responsive release characteristics, catalytic ability to generate ROS, relatively high thermal conversion efficiency up to 62.38 %, as well as spatio-temporal controllable abilities. Moreover, it demonstrates outstanding anti-tumor ability, with a tumor growth inhibition value of 97.1 % within 12 days, revealing its significant potential for future personalized and precise anti-tumor treatments.

Combination of Oridonin and Chlorin e6 with the metal–organic frameworks MIL‐101‐NH2‐AL for tumor chemo‐photodynamic therapy

In this paper, a metal–organic skeleton material MIL‐101‐NH2‐AL was prepared for loading the chemotherapeutic drug Oridonin (Ori) and photosensitizer Chlorin e6 (Ce6). A drug delivery system for synergistic chemotherapy and photodynamic therapy was constructed. At the same time, we evaluated MIL‐101‐NH2‐AL as a drug therapy carrier, including drug loading, cytotoxicity, and safety, verified the photodynamic efficiency of MIL‐101‐NH2‐AL@Ori@Ce6 in vitro, and studied the ability of MIL‐101‐NH2‐AL@Ori@Ce6 cancer cells to produce reactive oxygen species, cell uptake, cytotoxicity, and so on. Experiments have confirmed that MIL‐101‐NH2‐AL, as a nano‐carrier, encapsulated Oridonin and Ce6, the combination of PDT and chemotherapy showed enhanced tumor inhibition and high biosafety. The killing effect on cells was caused by reactive oxygen species produced by photosensitizers and apoptosis of tumor cells induced by Oridonin. The drug delivery system demonstrates enormous potential for synergistic anti‐tumor effects of photodynamic and chemotherapy.

Construction of novel stable surface ion-imprinted graphene aerogels for efficient and selective extraction of lithium ion

Selective extraction of lithium from salt lake brine has attracted widespread attention in order to meet the growing global demand for lithium. Due to the high Mg2+/Li+ ratio and low Li+ concentration in salt lake brine, extracting Li+ from salt lake brine is extremely challenging. Herein, a novel approach was employed using graphene oxide (GO) with abundant functional groups as the skeleton material, and trihydroxymethyl aminomethane (Tris) as the pioneering reducing agent. Through the liquid phase self-assembly technology combined with surface modification, the Li+ imprinted three-dimensional block graphene aerogels (IDGAs) were successfully constructed under the assisted cross-linking effect of N,N-dimethylformamide (DMF). The IDGAs achieve good adsorption capacity (12.55 mg g−1), excellent regeneration performance, and comparatively high selectivity against Na+, K+, and Mg2+ of 4.75, 2.71, and 1.90, respectively. The exceptional properties of IDGAs can be attributed to the synergism resulting from the establishment of adsorption sites through the high specific surface area of the skeleton, as well as the selective recognition of Li+ by 2-hydroxymethyl-12-crown ether-4. Consequently, IDGAs represent a highly promising option for the efficient extraction of lithium from salt lake brine.

SILICON CARBIDE REINFORCEDBY DIAMOND PARTICLES - DSC"SKELETON" - FOR ELEMENTS OF HIGH-TEMPERATURE UNITS

The article summarizes the results of joint work of CIAM and CRIM, carried out under the leadership of prof. T.D. Karimbaev. The properties of the diamond-silicon carbide material (AKK) “Skeleton”, which is a ceramic composite with a silicon carbide matrix reinforced with diamond particles, and the test results of nozzle devices made from such material are presented. Research carried out using the AKK Skeleton material as an example showed that isotropic dispersed-reinforced composite materials with a silicon carbide matrix, in most of their properties, are capable of meeting the requirements for materials for units operating in high-enthalpy gas flows.

Prepared MW-Immunosensitizers Precisely Release NO to Downregulate HIF-1α Expression and Enhance Immunogenic Cell Death.

Microwave thermotherapy (MWTT) has limited its application in the clinic due to its high rate of metastasis and recurrence after treatment. Nitric oxide (NO) is a gaseous molecule that can address the high metastasis and recurrence rates after MWTT by increasing thermal sensitivity, down-regulating the expression of hypoxia-inducible factor-1 (HIF-1), and inducing the immunogenic cell death (ICD). Therefore, GaMOF-Arg is designed, a gallium-based organic skeleton material derivative loaded with L-arginine (L-Arg), and coupled the mitochondria-targeting drug of triphenylphosphine (TPP) on its surface to obtain GaMOF-Arg-TPP (GAT) MW-immunosensitizers. When GAT MW-immunosensitizers are introduced into mice through the tail vein, reactive oxygen species (ROS) are generated and L-Arg is released under MW action. Then, L-Arg reacts with ROS to generate NO, which not only downregulates HIF-1 expression to improve tumor hypoxia exacerbated by MW, but also enhances immune responses by augment calreticulin (CRT) exposure, high mobility group box 1 (HMGB1) release, and T-cell proliferation to achieve prevention of tumor metastasis and recurrence. In addition, NO can induce mitochondria damage to increase their sensitivity to MWTT. This study provides a unique insight into the use of metal-organic framework MW-immunosensitizers to enhance tumor therapy and offers a new way to treat cancer efficiently.

Investigation on low-carbon shape-stable phase change composite by steel slag and carbide slag for solar thermal energy storage

Resources utilization of a variety of industrial solid wastes including steel slag (SS) and carbide slag (CS) is an effective measure that reduces environmental destruction and greenhouse gas emissions. In this work, seven shape-stable phase change materials (SSPCMs) with different mass fractions were prepared by cold compression-hot sintering (CCHS) method utilizing SS and CS as the skeleton material (SM) and NaNO3 as the phase change material (PCM). Research on critical properties of SSPCMs including thermal energy storage properties, microscopic morphology, mechanical properties, chemical compatibility, and economic properties was undertaken. Results indicated that various properties were optimized when the mass ratio of SS, CS, and NaNO3 was 2.5:2.5:5 (SC4). The mechanical strength of sample SC4 was 131.2 MPa, and the optimum thermal energy storage (TES) density in the temperature range of 100 °C–400 °C was 371.1 J/g. The maximum thermal conductivity of sample SC4 was 1.263 W/(m·K) after 1307 heating and cooling cycles. The sample SC4 exhibited favorable chemical compatibility and the elements were uniformly distributed in the sample SC4.

Principle and Application of Lipid Nanoparticles in Cosmetics

Lipid nanoparticles (LNs) are colloidal particles having a biocompatible lipid matrix and nanoparticle (NP) sizes between 100 nm and 400 nm. They are called "nanosafe" carriers and show outstanding tolerability. Solid lipid nanoparticles use lipid as the skeleton material which has a high melting point. SLNs have the characteristics of high physical stability, relatively less drug leakage and good slow release, low toxicity and easy to mass production. The structure of the solid particle matrix allows solid lipid nanoparticles (SLNs) to be distinguished from nanostructured lipid carriers (NLCs). NLC is prepared by mixing liquid lipids and solid lipids. NLC improves the solubility of the active substance, improves the release ability of the substance, and also prolongs the storage life of the active substance in the carrier. Plenty of characteristics for skin application of pharmaceuticals and cosmetics are displayed by SLNs and NLC, such as drug targeting, regulated release of active ingredients, occlusion properties, and related enhancements to penetration and skin hydration. This review focuses on the characteristic of SLNs and NLCS, analyzing their advantages and disadvantages and lipid nanoparticles application in cosmetics are described in detail.

Experimental study on the melting performance of phase change materials embedded with different material skeletons

Embedding a skeleton in an organic phase change material changes its heat transfer properties. The melting process of a composite phase change material embedded respectively with nylon, stainless steel, and aluminum alloy skeleton was investigated experimentally, and the effect of the skeleton material on the phase change process was analyzed in detail. The evolution of the phase-change interface was captured using visible-light imaging, and the temperature field distribution was obtained using an infrared camera. The temperature variations inside the composite phase change material were measured using high-precision thermocouples. The local thermal non-equilibrium effect between the skeleton and phase change material was analyzed using the difference between the temperatures of the skeleton surface and paraffin close to the surface. The results showed that the metal skeleton accelerated the migration of the phase change interface, whereas the nylon skeleton retarded the phase change process, in contrast to the pure phase change material. The complete melting time and energy storage rate of the composite phase change material with the aluminum alloy were lesser (53%) and 59.6% higher than those of the pure phase change material, respectively. The local thermal non-equilibrium effects in the melting process of composite phase change material with different material skeletons were significantly different. The larger the thermal conductivity ratio between the skeleton and phase change material, the more significant the thermal non-equilibrium effect. The maximum thermal non-equilibrium effect in the melting process of the composite phase change material with aluminum alloy skeleton was 1.59℃.

Metal–organic framework derived N‐doped zinc oxide carbon nanocomposites for catalytic removal of dye and formaldehyde

AbstractBiomass‐based catalysis has drawn a gradually increased attention due to its eco‐friendliness, cost‐effective, and good reusability. In this work, a novel metal–organic framework (MOF) derived nitrogen‐doped zinc oxide carbon (ZnO/N/C) nanocomposites were synthesized on pine cone by solvothermal and carbonization method. Scanning electron microscopy, x‐ray diffractometer, and x‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy were employed to confirm the presence of N‐doped ZnO rod‐like nanostructures on the as‐prepared composites. The obtained ZnO/N/C nanocomposites were employed as catalytic materials for the decomposition of methylene blue (MB) dye and adsorption of formaldehyde (HCHO). The ZnO/N/C nanocomposites can degrade more than 90% of the MB solution within 90 min under visible light irradiation, besides, they can rapidly absorb and decompose HCHO. The high‐catalytic performance of ZnO/N/C nanocomposites can be attributed to the high‐superficial area of ZIF‐8, the carbonization that ensures the high conductivity and high‐slight absorption of carbon skeleton materials, and the accelerated transfer of photogenerated electrons. This simple and green preparation method has promoted the sustainable utilization of biomass resources with great significance for application of carbon‐based porous materials in catalytic field.Highlights MOF derived ZnO/N‐doped carbon nanocomposites were successfully synthesized. Presence of N‐doped ZnO rod‐like nanostructures on carbon nanocomposites. ZnO/N/C nanocomposites could be used as a catalyst for MB photodegradation. ZnO/N/C nanocomposites can be readily absorption and decompose of HCHO.

Magnetoresistance in Organic Spin Valves Based on Acid‐Exfoliated 2D Covalent Organic Frameworks Thin Films

AbstractCovalent organic frameworks (COFs), as a burgeoning class of crystalline porous materials, have made significant progress in their application to optoelectronic devices such as field‐effect transistors, memristors, and photodetectors. However, the insoluble features of microcrystalline two‐dimensional (2D) COF powders limit development of their thin film devices. Additionally, the exploration of spin transport properties in this category of π‐conjugated skeleton materials remains vacant thus far. Herein, an imine‐linked 2D Py‐Np COF nanocrystalline powder was synthesized by Schiff base condensation of 4,4′,4′′,4′′′‐(pyrene‐1,3,6,8‐tetrayl)tetraaniline and naphthalene‐2,6‐dicarbaldehyde. Then, we prepared a large‐scale free‐standing Py‐Np COF film via a top‐down strategy of chemically assisted acid exfoliation. Moreover, high‐quality COF films acted as active layers were transferred onto ferromagnetic La0.67Sr0.33MnO3 (LSMO) electrodes for the first attempt to fabricate organic spin valves (OSVs) based on 2D COF materials. This COF‐based OSV device with a configuration of LSMO/Py‐Np COF/Co/Au demonstrated a remarkable magnetoresistance (MR) value up to −26.5 % at 30 K. Meanwhile, the MR behavior of the COF‐based OSVs exhibited a highly temperature dependence and operational stability. This work highlights the enormous application prospects of 2D COFs in organic spintronics and provides a promising approach for developing electronic and spintronic devices based on acid‐exfoliated COF thin films.

Magnetoresistance in Organic Spin Valves Based on Acid-Exfoliated 2D Covalent Organic Frameworks Thin Films.

Covalent organic frameworks (COFs), as a burgeoning class of crystalline porous materials, have made significant progress in their application to optoelectronic devices such as field-effect transistors, memristors, and photodetectors. However, the insoluble features of microcrystalline two-dimensional (2D) COF powders limit development of their thin film devices. Additionally, the exploration of spin transport properties in this category of π-conjugated skeleton materials remains vacant thus far. Herein, an imine-linked 2D Py-Np COF nanocrystalline powder was synthesized by Schiff base condensation of 4,4',4'',4'''-(pyrene-1,3,6,8-tetrayl)tetraaniline and naphthalene-2,6-dicarbaldehyde. Then, we prepared a large-scale free-standing Py-Np COF film via a top-down strategy of chemically assisted acid exfoliation. Moreover, high-quality COF films acted as active layers were transferred onto ferromagnetic La0.67 Sr0.33 MnO3 (LSMO) electrodes for the first attempt to fabricate organic spin valves (OSVs) based on 2D COF materials. This COF-based OSV device with a configuration of LSMO/Py-Np COF/Co/Au demonstrated a remarkable magnetoresistance (MR) value up to -26.5 % at 30 K. Meanwhile, the MR behavior of the COF-based OSVs exhibited a highly temperature dependence and operational stability. This work highlights the enormous application prospects of 2D COFs in organic spintronics and provides a promising approach for developing electronic and spintronic devices based on acid-exfoliated COF thin films.

Analysis of cord stress during tire dynamic longitudinal slip

Selected 215/55 R17 radial tires for material test to obtain relevant material parameters. Used these parameters to build a finite element model and conduct longitudinal slip simulation. The relationship between longitudinal force and slip rate at different speeds and loads was determined by tire longitudinal slip tests. Then the longitudinal slip simulation results were compared with the test results to verify the feasibility of the model. The circumferential and axial rebar force of the belt layer at different speeds and the extreme value of the circumferential rebar force on the reverse-envelope of different skeleton materials were analyzed. The results show that: in the static state, the cord force of the belt layer had shown a trend consistent with the direction of the cord arrangement. As the speed increased, the belt cord force exhibited significant fluctuations and asymmetry. The rebar force of the turn-up points on the belt and ply is significantly smaller compared to the fetal crown ply. The rebar force at the fetal crown and belt wrapping points at 60 km/h was smaller than at 40 km/h and 80 km/h. The cord force of the fetal crown ply and the belt ply is much more affected by the load than that of the ply.

Effects of expanded graphite on NaNO3/semi-coke ash shape-stable phase change composites for thermal energy storage

As an alkaline industrial solid waste with a porous structure, semi-coke ash can have adverse effects on the environment if accumulated or buried in large quantities. The research group has previously used this material in combination with NaNO3 to prepare a shape-stable phase change composite. Building upon the previous research team, this work manufactured the shape-stable phase change composite by cold-compression hot-sintering method using NaNO3 as the phase change material, semi-coke ash as the skeleton material and an innovative addition of expanded graphite as the thermal conductivity enhancer to enhance thermal conductivity of phase change material. Then, key thermal performance, mechanical strength, chemical compatibility, microscopic morphology, economic efficiency and emission reduction capacity were investigated. Results demonstrated that the sample SS2 with 0.5 wt% expanded graphite performed best, which also presented a mechanical strength of 113.82 MPa, a thermal conductivity of 1.844 W/(m·K), and an excellent thermal energy storage density of 424.91 J/g between 100–400 °C; Both the thermal performance and mechanical strength of sample SS2 decreased to some extent after the heating/cooling cycles; The semi-coke ash, expanded graphite, and NaNO3 showed excellent chemical compatibility while both the thermal energy storage cost (0.022 ¥/kJ) and the raw material carbon emissions (1041 kg) of producing per ton sample SS2 in this work were far below traditional shape-stable phase change materials.

Low-temperature deposition manufacturing technology: a novel 3D printing method for bone scaffolds.

The application of three-dimensional printing technology in the medical field has great potential for bone defect repair, especially personalized and biological repair. As a green manufacturing process that does not involve liquefication through heating, low-temperature deposition manufacturing (LDM) is a promising type of rapid prototyping manufacturing and has been widely used to fabricate scaffolds in bone tissue engineering. The scaffolds fabricated by LDM have a multi-scale controllable pore structure and interconnected micropores, which are beneficial for the repair of bone defects. At the same time, different types of cells or bioactive factor can be integrated into three-dimensional structural scaffolds through LDM. Herein, we introduced LDM technology and summarize its applications in bone tissue engineering. We divide the scaffolds into four categories according to the skeleton materials and discuss the performance and limitations of the scaffolds. The ideas presented in this review have prospects in the development and application of LDM scaffolds.

FUN Azores: a FUNctional trait database for the meio-, macro-, and megafauna from the Azores Marine Park (Mid-Atlantic Ridge)

Trait-based approaches that complement taxonomy-based studies have increased in popularity among the scientific community over the last decades. The collection of biological and ecological characteristics of species (i.e., traits) provides insight into species and ecosystem vulnerability to environmental and anthropogenic changes, as well as ecosystem functioning. Here, we present the FUN Azores trait database, describe our approach, evaluate its scope, compare it to other marine trait databases, and explore the spatial distribution of its traits with “functional maps.” While most of the available trait databases to date contain essential information to understand the functional diversity of a taxonomic or functional group, our ecosystem-based approach provides a comprehensive assessment of diverse fauna (i.e., meio-, macro-, and megafauna) from benthic and pelagic environments in the Azores Marine Park; including ridges, seamounts, hydrothermal vents, and the overlying water column. We used a collaborative approach involving 30 researchers with different expertise to develop the FUN Azores database, which contains compiled data on 14 traits representing morphological, behavioral, and life history characteristics for 1,210 species across 10 phyla. The “functional maps” show a distinct distribution of the two most common size classes, suggesting different communities with different functionalities. The following traits had the best scoring coverage (i.e., >95% of the species scored): maximum body size, body form, skeleton material, feeding structure, motility, environmental position, substratum affinity, distribution, and depth range; while traits related to species behavior (e.g., sociability or aggregation tendencies) and life history (e.g., developmental mechanism) had lower scoring coverage, highlighting the need for further research to fill these knowledge gaps. We found a larger number of species in the benthic compared to the pelagic environment and differing species composition between areas within the Azores Marine Park resulting from varying biodiversity, ecosystem types, sampling effort, and methodologies used. The FUN Azores database will foster and facilitate trait-based approaches in the area, develop a framework for expansion of cross-ecosystem and cross-taxa trait databases elsewhere, and improve our ecological understanding of the Azores Marine Park and its conservation requirements.

Напряженно-деформированное состояние плотины Юмагузинского гидроузла

Introduction. The stone-and-earth dam of the Yumaguzinskiy hydroelectric complex on the Belaya river is constructed in complicated geological conditions on heterogeneous foundation. The results of computational research of stress-strain state (SSS) of the dam, carried out for the variant of an earth dam with the central core are presented. When calculating the deflected mode of dams, the real structure of ground characterized by its relation of elastic and plastic bonds should be taken into account. The change of this structure takes place along with the change in stresses and is reflected in the values of coefficient of relative strength and coefficients of reliability. The values of the safety coefficients can be used to judge the strength state of the dam. Materials and methods. The stress-strain state of the dam was determined on the basis of the energy model of the developed by L.N. Rasskazov. The area of the selected fragment of the dam has been divided into single-type elements; a triangular grid of the finite element method has been adopted, by means of which the structure of the soil dam and the foundation have been described. Results. Numerical calculations have shown that when water level in the reservoir rises to the level of the forced retaining level the character of stress distribution σxx changes. At the base of uppermost buttress prism at the boundary with the core there appears an area with small positive values, the largest of which is obtained in the transition zone. The entire hydrostatic load is transferred to the pressure face of the core and, consequently, the entire work of external forces is transferred to the internal deformation energy of this element, causing a stress concentration in it. The transition zone material is forced to follow the deformations of the core, resulting in the development of tensile stresses in the core. Therefore, increasing the stiffness of the core results in less deformation of the core and correspondingly less tensile stress in the transition zone. The nature of stress distribution σyy is symmetrical. Conclusions. Increasing the rigidity of the core entails elimination of the arch effect, which is particularly noticeable at lower reservoir levels. For this reason the use of skeleton material in the core of the dam is desirable.