The invention is directed to a pulverulent compound of the formula NiaM1bM2cOx(OH)y where M1 is at least one element selected from the group consisting of Fe, Co, Zn, Cu and mixtures thereof, M2 is at least one element selected from the group consisting of Mn, Al, Cr, B, Mg, Ca, Sr, Ba, Si and mixtures thereof, 0.3≦a≦0.83, 0.1≦b≦0.5, 0.01≦c≦0.5, 0.01≦x≦0.99 and 1.01≦y≦1.99, wherein the ratio of tapped density measured in accordance with ASTM B 527 to the D50 of the particle size distribution measured in accordance with ASTM B 822 is at least 0.2 g/cm3·μm. The invention is also directed to a method for the production of the pulverulent compound and the use as a precursor material for producing lithium compounds for use in lithium secondary batteries.

An alumino-borosilicate glass for the confinement, isolation of a radioactive liquid effluent of medium activity, and a method for treating a radioactive liquid effluent of medium activity, wherein calcination of said effluent is carried out in order to obtain a calcinate, and a vitrification adjuvant is added to said calcinate.

A substrate for p-Si TFT flat panel displays made of a glass having a high low-temperature-viscosity characteristic temperature and manufactured while avoiding erosion/wear of a melting tank during melting through direct electrical heating. The glass substrate comprises 52-78 mass % of SiO2, 3-25 mass % of Al2O3, 3-15 mass % of B2O3, 3-20 mass % of RO, wherein RO is total amount of MgO, CaO, SrO, and BaO, 0.01-0.8 mass % of R2O, wherein R2O is total amount of Li2O, Na2O, and K2O, and 0-0.3 mass % of Sb2O3, and substantially does not comprise As2O3, wherein the mass ratio CaO/RO is equal to or greater than 0.65, the mass ratio (SiO2+Al2O3)/B2O3 is in a range of 7-30, and the mass ratio (SiO2+Al2O3)/RO is equal to or greater than 5. A related method involves melting glass raw materials blended to provide the glass composition; a forming step of forming the molten glass into a flat-plate glass; and an annealing step of annealing the flat-plate glass.

A tempered glass substrate has a compression stress layer on a surface thereof, and has a glass composition comprising, in terms of mass %, 40 to 70% of SiO2, 12 to 21% of Al2O3, 0 to 3.5% of Li2O, 10 to 20% of Na2O, 0 to 15% of K2O, and 0 to 4.5% of TiO2, wherein the tempered glass substrate has a plate thickness of 1.5 mm or less, and an internal tensile stress in the tempered glass substrate is 15 to 150 MPa.

An optical glass including B3+, La3+ and Nb5+ as cationic components constituting the glass, wherein the optical glass satisfies the following expressions represented in cation percentages: 10 cat. %≦B3+≦50 cat. %;40 cat. %≦La3+≦65 cat. %;0 cat. %≦Nb5+≦40 cat. %;80 cat. %≦(total amount of B3++La3++Nb5+)≦100 cat. %; and0 cat. %≦Si4+≦10 cat. %;0 cat. %≦Ge4+≦5 cat. %;0 cat. %≦Mg2+≦5 cat. %;0 cat. %≦Ba2+≦10 cat. %;0 cat. %≦Ca2+≦10 cat. %;0 cat. %≦Sr2+≦10 cat. %;0 cat. %≦Zn2+≦20 cat. %;0 cat. %≦W6+≦5 cat. %;0 cat. %≦Zr4+≦5 cat. %;0 cat. %≦Ti4+≦5 cat. %;0 cat. %≦Bi3+≦5 cat. %;0 cat. %≦Ta5+≦10 cat. %;0 cat. %≦(total amount of Y3++Gd3+)≦20 cat. %; and0 cat. %≦(total amount of Yb3++Lu3+)≦10 cat. %.

The present application is directed to a zirconia toughened alumina body and process for making the body. The process involves combining tetragonally stabilized ZrO2 nanoparticles, Mg(OH)2 particles and alumina powder into a mixture. All particles of the mixture are milled, formed into a green compact and then sintered. The final composition of the body includes α-Al2O3 toughened with 0.5 to 2.5 weight percent ZrO2 in a stabilized tetragonal form and 0.03 to 0.10 weight percent MgO. The composition results in an Al2O3 body with a density less than 4.0 g/cc and strength greater than 50 kpsi.

A lubricating oil composition for an internal combustion engine contains: a base oil including a component (A) of a polyalphaolefin having a kinematic viscosity at 100 degrees C. of 5.5 mm2/s or less, a CCS viscosity at −35 degrees C. of 3000 mPa·s or less and a NOACK of 12 mass % or less and a component (B) of a mineral oil having a viscosity index of 120 or more; and polyisobutylene having a mass average molecular weight of 500,000 or more. A content of the composition (A) is 25 mass % or more of a total amount of a lubricating oil.

A lubricating oil composition for an internal combustion engine contains a component (A) of a polyalphaolefin having a kinematic viscosity at 100 degrees C. of 5.5 mm2/s or less, a CCS viscosity at −35 degrees C. of 3000 mPA·s or less and a NOACK of 12 mass % or less, and a component (B) of a mineral oil having a viscosity index of 120 or more. The component (A) is contained at a content of 10 mass % or more of a total amount of the composition.

Disclosed is a method for producing p-xylene and/or p-tolualdehyde with high yield through a short process using biomass resource-derived substances as raw materials. The method for producing p-xylene and/or p-tolualdehyde of the present invention comprises: a cyclization step of producing 4-methyl-3-cyclohexenecarboxaldehyde from isoprene and acrolein; and an aromatization step of producing p-xylene and/or p-tolualdehyde from 4-methyl-3-cyclohexenecarboxaldehyde by gas-phase flow reaction using a catalyst(s).

A method for preparing fuel components from crude tall oil. Feedstock containing tall oil including unsaturated fatty acids is introduced to a catalytic hydrodeoxygenation to convert unsaturated fatty acids, rosin acids and sterols to fuel components. Crude tall oil is purified in a purification by washing the crude tall oil with washing liquid and separating the purified crude tall oil from the washing liquid. The purified crude tall oil is introduced directly to the catalytic hydrodeoxygenation as a purified crude tall oil feedstock. An additional feedstock may be supplied to the catalytic hydrodeoxygenation.

A method for controlling 2-isomer content in linear alkylbenzene obtained by alkylating benzene with olefins and catalyst used in the method.

The present invention provides a method for producing an olefin from a carboxylic acid having a β-hydrogen atom or an anhydride thereof in the presene of a catalyst containing at least one metal element selected from metals of Group 8, Group 9 and Group 10 and bromine element at a reaction temperature of 120° C. to 270° C.

Disclosed is a method for removing weakly basic nitrogen compounds from a hydrocarbon feed stream by contacting the hydrocarbon feed stream with a basic catalyst to convert a portion of the weakly basic nitrogen compounds to basic nitrogen compounds. The method also includes contacting the hydrocarbon feed stream with an acidic adsorbent to adsorb the basic nitrogen compounds from the stream. The hydrocarbon feed stream comprises an aromatic compound and a weakly basic nitrogen compound.

This invention relates to a method for increasing thermal stability of fuel, as well as in reducing nitrogen content and/or enhancing color quality of the fuel. According to the method, a fuel feedstock can be treated with a solid phosphoric acid catalyst under appropriate catalyst conditions, e.g., to increase the thermal stability of the fuel feedstock. Preferably, the fuel feedstock can be treated with the solid phosphoric acid catalyst at a ratio of catalyst mass within a contact zone to a mass flow rate of feedstock through the zone of at least about 18 minutes to increase the thermal stability of the fuel feedstock, along with reducing nitrogen content and/or enhancing color quality.

Disclosed is a method for removing weakly basic nitrogen compounds from a hydrocarbon feed stream by contacting the hydrocarbon feed stream with acidic clay to produce a hydrocarbon effluent stream having a lower weakly basic nitrogen compound content relative to the hydrocarbon feed stream. The hydrocarbon feed stream comprises an aromatic compound and a weakly basic nitrogen compound.

A process is presented for quenching a process stream in a paraffin dehydrogenation process. The process comprises cooling a propane dehydrogenation stream during the hot residence time after the process stream leaves the catalytic bed reactor section. The process includes cooling and compressing the product stream, taking a portion of the product stream and passing the portion of the product stream to the mix with the process stream as it leaves the catalytic bed reactor section.

A process for the double-bond isomerization of olefins is disclosed. The process may include contacting a fluid stream comprising olefins with a fixed bed comprising an activated basic metal oxide isomerization catalyst to convert at least a portion of the olefin to its isomer. The isomerization catalysts disclosed herein may have a reduced cycle to cycle deactivation as compared to conventional catalysts, thus maintaining higher activity over the complete catalyst life cycle.

Embodiments of methods and apparatuses for isomerization of paraffins are provided. In one example, a method comprises the steps of separating an isomerization effluent into a product stream that comprises branched paraffins and a stabilizer vapor stream that comprises HCl, H2, and C6-hydrocarbons. C6-hydrocarbons are removed from the stabilizer overhead vapor stream to form a HCl and H2-rich stream. An isomerization catalyst is activated using at least a portion of the HCl and H2-rich stream to form a chloride-promoted isomerization catalyst. A paraffin feed stream is contacted with the chloride-promoted isomerization catalyst in the presence of hydrogen for isomerization of the paraffins.

The invention relates to a method for the manufacture of branched saturated hydrocarbons, said method comprising the steps where a feed comprising olefins having at least 10 carbons is simultaneously hydrogenated and isomerized in the presence of hydrogen at a temperature of 100-400° C., under hydrogen partial pressure of 0.01-10 MPa, in the presence of a catalyst comprising a metal selected from the metals of Group VIIIb of the Periodic Table of Elements, a molecular sieve selected from ten member ring molecular sieves, twelve member ring molecular sieves and mesoporous molecular sieves embedded with zeolite, and a carrier, to yield branched saturated hydrocarbons.

The present invention relates generally to olefin metathesis. In some embodiments, the present invention provides methods for Z-selective ring-closing metathesis.

Copper(II) acetate, zinc(II) acetate, and tin(IV) acetate are weighed so that the total amount of metal ions is 2.0×10−4 mol and the molar ratio of ions is Cu:Zn:Sn=2:1:1, and 2.0 cm3 of oleylamine is added to prepare a mixed solution. Apart from this, 1.0 cm3 of oleylamine is added to 2.0×10−4 mol of sulfur powder to prepare a mixed solution. These mixed solutions are separately heated at 60° C. and mixed at room temperature. The pressure in a test tube is reduced, followed by nitrogen filling. The test tube is heated at 240° C. for 30 minutes and then allowed to stand until room temperature. The resultant product is separated into a supernatant and precipitates by centrifugal separation. The separated supernatant is filtered, methanol is added to produce precipitates. The precipitates are dissolved by adding chloroform to prepare a semiconductor nanoparticle solution.

A method for analysis of an object dyed with fluorescent coloring agents. Separately fluorescing visible molecules or nanoparticles are periodically formed in different object parts, the laser produces the oscillation thereof which is sufficient for recording the non-overlapping images of the molecules or nanoparticles and for decoloring already recorded fluorescent molecules, wherein tens of thousands of pictures of recorded individual molecule or nanoparticle images, in the form of stains having a diameter on the order of a fluorescent light wavelength multiplied by a microscope amplification, are processed by a computer for searching the coordinates of the stain centers and building the object image according to millions of calculated stain center co-ordinates corresponding to the co-ordinates of the individual fluorescent molecules or nanoparticles. Two-dimensional and three-dimensional images are provided for proteins, nucleic acids and lipids with different coloring agents.

Embodiments of the present disclosure relate to the preparation of colloidal dispersions or suspensions of inorganic materials with nano-sized and nano-structured morphologies, preferably the nanosheet form, compositions produced by this method, and the like.

Disclosed is a composite material wherein adhesion between a silicon surface and a plating material is enhanced. A method and an apparatus for producing the composite material are also disclosed. The method for producing a composite material comprises a dispersion/allocation step wherein the surface of a silicon substrate (102), which is a matrix provided with a silicon layer at least as the outermost layer, is immersed into a first solution containing gold (Au) ions, so that particulate or island-shaped gold (Au) serving as a first metal and substituted with a part of the silicon layer are dispersed/allocated on the matrix surface, and a plating step wherein the silicon substrate (102) is immersed into a second solution (24), which contains a reducing agent to which gold (Au) exhibits catalyst activity and metal ions which can be reduced by the reducing agent, so that the surface of the silicon substrate (102) is covered with the metal or an alloy of the metal (108) which is formed by autocatalytic electroless plating using gold (Au) as a starting point.

Provided are a negative active material, a method of preparing the same, and a lithium battery including the negative active material. The negative active material includes a carbonaceous core that has a sulfur content of about 10 ppm to 900 ppm; and an amorphous carbon layer continuously formed on a surface of the carbonaceous core, wherein the carbonaceous core has a crystalloid plate structure, and a crystallite size measured from a full width at half maximum of the peak with respect to the surface (002) of about 10 nm to about 45 nm in an X-ray diffraction spectrum of the carbonaceous core. The lithium battery including a negative electrode including the negative active material has improved capacity characteristics and ring lifetime characteristics.

A nano-ionic memory device is provided. The memory device includes a substrate, a chemically inactive lower electrode provided on the substrate, a solid electrolyte layer provided on the lower electrode and including a silver (Ag)-doped telluride (Te)-based nano-material, and an oxidizable upper electrode provided on the electrolyte layer.

A nanostructure, an optical device including the nanostructure, and methods of manufacturing the nanostructure and the optical device. A method of manufacturing a nanostructure may include forming a block copolymer template layer and a precursor pattern of metal coupled to the block copolymer template layer on a graphene layer, and forming a metal nanopattern on the graphene layer by removing the block copolymer template layer and reducing the precursor pattern.

In certain embodiments, the invention is directed to composition comprising stable particles comprising ganaxolone, wherein the volume weighted median diameter (D50) of the particles is from about 50 nm to about 500 nm.

A memory device includes a semiconductor channel, a tunnel dielectric layer located over the semiconductor channel, a first charge trap including a plurality of electrically conductive nanodots located over the tunnel dielectric layer, dielectric separation layer located over the nanodots, a second charge trap including a continuous metal layer located over the separation layer, a blocking dielectric located over the second charge trap, and a control gate located over the blocking dielectric.

Methods using a sequence of externally generated magnetic fields to initialize the magnetization directions of each of the layers in perpendicular MTJ MRAM elements for data and reference bits when the required magnetization directions are anti-parallel are described. The coercivity of the fixed pinned and reference layers can be made unequal so that one of them can be switched by a magnetic field that will reliably leave the other one unswitched. Embodiments of the invention utilize the different effective coercivity fields of the pinned, reference and free layers to selectively switch the magnetization directions using a sequence of magnetic fields of decreasing strength. Optionally the chip or wafer can be heated to reduce the required field magnitude. It is possible that the first magnetic field in the sequence can be applied during an annealing step in the MRAM manufacture process.

The method for detection of cyanide in water is a method for the detection of a highly toxic pollutant, cyanide, in water using ZnO2 nanoparticles synthesized locally by an elegant Pulsed Laser Ablation technique. ZnO2 nanoparticles having a median size of 4 nm are synthesized from pure zinc metal target under UV laser irradiation in a 1-10% H2O2 environment in deionized water. The synthesized ZnO2 nanoparticles are suspended in dimethyl formamide in the presence of Nafion, and then ultrasonicated to create a homogenous suspension, which is used to prepare a thin film of ZnO2 nanoparticles on a metal electrode. The electrode is used for cyanide detection.

The disclosure relates generally to a method for fabricating a patterned medium. The method includes providing a substrate with an exterior layer under a lithographically patterned surface layer, the lithographically patterned surface layer comprising a first pattern in a first region and a second pattern in a second region, applying a first masking material over the first region, transferring the second pattern into the exterior layer in the second region, forming self-assembled block copolymer structures over the lithographically patterned surface layer, the self-assembled block copolymer structures aligning with the first pattern in the first region, applying a second masking material over the second region, transferring the polymer block pattern into the exterior layer in the first region, and etching the substrate according to the second pattern transferred to the exterior layer in the second region and the polymer block pattern transferred to the exterior layer in the first region.

Disclosed are a biomolecular sensor and a method of fabricating the same having high sensitivity and resolution by using a plurality of metal plates that change electrical properties of a plurality of nanostructures according to the attachment of biomolecules. The biomolecular sensor includes a substrate, first and second electrodes disposed to be spaced apart from each other on the substrate, a plurality of nanostructures disposed on the substrate to connect the first and second electrodes to each other, and a plurality of metal plates that change electrical properties of the plurality of nanostructures according to the attachment of biomolecules.

Device for forming, on a nanowire made of a semiconductor, an alloy of this semiconductor with a metal or metalloid by bringing this nanowire into contact with electrically conductive metal or metalloid probes and Joule heating the nanowire at the points of contact with the probes so as to form an alloy such as a silicide. Application to the production of controlled-channel-length metal-silicide transistors.

Methods for the synthesis of metal quantum clusters within the framework of a porous gel matrix are described. For example, Ag25(glutathione)18 quantum clusters are synthesized in a cross-linked polyacrylamide gel matrix. The methods can be performed on large-scale and yields monodispersed metal quantum clusters.

A process for the production of nanocrystals or amorphous nanoparticles of actives (nanomaterials), especially from the peels of grapes. A dispersion of a micrometer-sized material in a solution of surfactant or a steric stabilizer is first provided. The macrosuspension is then stirred for at least 1 minute at a rotational speed above 500 rpm using a rotor-stator mixer. The stirred mixture is passed through a jet stream or piston-gas type high pressure homogenizer. The nanomaterials produced can be incorporated into formulations for use as nutraceutical, nutritional supplement, or as supportive treatment in medical therapy. The active can be derived from the peels of grapes.

Disclosed are methods for producing rubber-containing bituminous mixtures by pressurizing mixtures of bituminous materials, crumb rubber, and one or more suspension agents with a gas, and then reducing the pressure, creating bubbles of the gas in the mixture. Also disclosed are methods of introducing gas into such mixture by rapid mixing. Mixtures produced by the disclosed methods, such as rubber-containing asphalt mixtures and paving compositions thereof, and their use are also disclosed.

Disclosed herein are acrylic and methacrylic acid ester-based polymeric materials containing as flexibilizing and brittleness reducing agents 1-60% of C4-C8 polyalkylene or polyalkyldiene compounds, preferably having a molecular weight of 300-2100, and the use of such materials in dentistry and medicine.

An artificial silica marble comprises a matrix and a line pattern portion. The line pattern portion comprises fine lines having a width of about 50 to about 500 μm and forms a web- or net-like pattern. The line pattern portion divides or partitions the artificial silica marble into a plurality of irregularly shaped pattern portions to form an amorphous pattern in the cross section of the artificial silica marble.

A coating/sealant system that includes a coating and a sealant deposited over at least a portion of the coating, in which the coating includes a reaction product formed from reactants comprising a phosphated epoxy resin and a curing agent, and the sealant includes a sulfur-containing polymer.

A non-skid coating described herein attempts to overcome the deficiencies of the conventional coatings with improved external durability and color retention, a reduced level of VOCs, and direct-to-metal (DTM) adhesion using organo-siloxane chemistry. The non-skid coating has a first component having an amino-functional siloxane resin; a second component having a non-aromatic epoxy resin; a spherical filler for lowering viscosity; a pigment; a coarse aggregate; and a thixotropic agent. The amino-functional siloxane resin can be an amino-functional methyl phenyl polysiloxane, diphenyl polysiloxane or silsesquioxane-based resin. The non-aromatic epoxy resin can be cycloaliphatic or aliphatic. The first component is about 5% to 20% weight of the coating, and the second component is about 80% to 95% weight of the coating.

The invention relates to a method for producing thermoplastic molding compounds, comprising: A) 40 to 99 wt % of at least one thermoplastic polymer, B) 1 to 60 wt % of a flame-proofing agent component containing an expandable graphite, and C) 0 to 60 wt % of further additives, by melt-mixing components A), B) and C) in a screw-type extruder, wherein the screw-type extruder, along the feed direction, comprises, in the following order, at least one dosing zone, a plastifying zone, a homogenizing zone, a second dosing zone, and a discharge zone, in that the dosing takes place into the screw-type extruder having the length L, wherein the length L is defined as the section starting with the first dosing unit for adding components A, B and/or C and ending, in the feed direction, at the discharge opening, a melt is generated after adding components A, B and C in the range of 0 liter to 0.15 liter in a first method step in the presence of component B1), and in a second method step, after the addition of component B1) in the range of 0.5 liter to 0.95 liter, component B1) is mixed into said melt, wherein said method offers technical advantages.

A method for preparing poly(butylene terephthalate-co-adipate) copolymer by polymerizing 1,4-butane diol, an adipic acid component and an aromatic dicarboxy compound derived from polyethylene terephthalate, and a polyester component residue in the presence of a catalyst under conditions effective to form poly(butylene terephthalate-co-adipate) oligomers; adding a quencher; and reacting the quenched poly(butylene terephthalate-co-adipate) oligomers with a chain extender.

The disclosure provides an ink jet ink for color filter and a method for preparing the same, as well as a method for preparing of a color filter. The ink jet ink for color filter comprising, by weight, 10 to 50 parts of aqueous nano pigment dispersion and 51 to 95 parts of a cold curing component.

A facile synthesis of amphiphilic hyperbranched polymers consisting of poly(amic acid) and polyimide was developed via “A2+B3” approach from difunctional anhydride and trifunctional hydrophilic poly(oxyalkylene)triamine. Various amphiphilic hyperbranched poly(amic acid)s (HBPAAs) with terminal amine functionalities and amic acid structures were prepared through ring-opening polyaddition at room temperature, followed by thermal imidization process for the formation of hyperbranched polyimides (HBPIs), accordingly. The resulting HBPIs were analyzed by GPC, indicating the molecule weights of 5000˜7000 g/mol with a distribution of polydispersity between 2.0 and 3.8. The amine titration for HBPIs indicated the peripheral total-amine contents to be 8.32˜18.32 mequiv/g dependent on compositions.

Stone is formed from 5 to 60% by weight of polymerised, low-viscosity, transparent or low-colour-resin, 20 to 90% by weight of spherical alumina trihidrate Al2O3.3H2O containing less regular particles containing, advantageously 0 to 100% by weight of a transparent or translucent substitute of alumina trihydrate, and/or with 0 to 20% or pre-prepared particulate, filled resin of a chosen colour, and/or mineral particles and less than 2% by weight of luminophor. These individual components are mixed intensely whilst extracting included gaseous parts. Extraction is carried out whilst mixing, and/or after mixing, and/or before mixing. The mixture is initiated by introducing a starter and intensely mixing it into the mixture. The mixture is poured into a mould or onto a moving endless belt. The cured synthetic stone is removed from the mould or the hardened composite is taken off the the belt. Synthetic stone can be used in products as a light carrier.

Methods and apparatus for output of high-bandwidth debug data/traces in electronic devices using embedded high-speed debug port(s). Debug data is received from multiple blocks and buffered in a buffer. The buffer's output is operatively coupled to one or more high-speed serial I/O interfaces via muxing logic during debug test operations. The buffered data is encoded as serialized data and sent over the one or more high-speed serial I/O interfaces to a logic device that receives serialized data and de-serializes it to generate parallel debug data that is provided to a debugger. The buffer may be configured as a bandwidth-adapting buffer that facilitates transfer of debug data that is received at a variable combined data rate outbound via the one or more high-speed serial I/O interfaces at a data rate corresponding to the bandwidth of the serial I/O interfaces.

The invention in particular has as an object detecting incompatibility between equipment items of a on-board system. A logic interface associated with one equipment item comprises at least one input while a logic interface associated with another equipment item comprises at least one output. The input and the output are connected. After a minimal data definition level associated with the input and a data definition level associated with the output have been obtained (505), the said minimal data definition level associated with the input is compared (515) with the said data definition level associated with the output. Following this comparison, if the said minimal data definition level associated with the input is lower than the said data definition level associated with the output, an alarm indicating an incompatibility of these two equipment items is generated (545).

An apparatus includes a first memory, a second memory, a processor configured to perform an initialization process including adding data that generates a first error to initialization data and storing the initialization data together with the added data in the first memory to initialize the first memory, and a controller configured to perform an exchanging process including, when a second error occurs in the second memory during reading or writing data from or to the second memory, copying the data stored in the second memory into the first memory and switching, using a selector, a memory for use in writing and reading data from the second memory to the first memory. The processor is configured to read data from the first memory and the second memory and detect a failure of the selector or a failure of the exchanging process depending on whether the first error occurs or not.

In one embodiment, a processor includes at least one functional block and banking logic. The banking logic may be to determine an average reliability metric associated with the at least one functional block. The banking logic may also be to, if the average reliability metric exceeds a required level, implement a reduced reliability mode in the at least one functional block, where the reduced reliability mode is associated with a reduction in the average reliability metric. Other embodiments are described and claimed.