An aluminum alloy wire rod includes Mg: 0.1-1.0 mass %, Si: 0.1-1.2 mass %, Fe: 0.10-1.40 mass %, Ti: 0-0.100 mass %, B: 0-0.030 mass %, Cu: 0-1.00 mass %, Ag: 0-0.50 mass %, Au: 0-0.50 mass %, Mn: 0-1.00 mass %, Cr: 0-1.00 mass %, Zr: 0-0.50 mass %, Hf: 0-0.50 mass %, V: 0-0.50 mass %, Sc: 0-0.50 mass %, Co: 0-0.50 mass %, Ni: 0-0.50 mass %, and the balance: Al and inevitable impurities. In a cross section parallel to a wire rod lengthwise direction and including a center line of the wire rod, no void having an area greater than 20 μm.sup.2 is present, or even in a case where at least one void having an area greater than 20 μm.sup.2 is present, a presence ratio of the at least one void per 1000 μm.sup.2 is on average in a range of less than or equal to one void/1000 μm.sup.2.

A copper-coated steel wire includes a core wire made of a steel, and a coating layer made of copper or a copper alloy and covering an outer peripheral surface of the core wire. In a cross section perpendicular to a longitudinal direction of the core wire, the core wire includes a plurality of oxide regions composed of an oxide of an element contained in the steel constituting the core wire, the oxide regions including the outer peripheral surface of the core wire and being disposed apart from each other in a circumferential direction of the core wire.

A copper-coated steel wire includes a core wire made of a steel, and a coating layer made of copper or a copper alloy and covering an outer peripheral surface of the core wire. In a cross section perpendicular to a longitudinal direction of the core wire, the core wire includes a plurality of oxide regions composed of an oxide of an element contained in the steel constituting the core wire, the oxide regions including the outer peripheral surface of the core wire and being disposed apart from each other in a circumferential direction of the core wire.

An insulating protector attached to one side of a unit cell group includes: two bus bar housing portions, in each of which a plurality of bus bars for connecting adjacent electrode terminals are aligned and housed, and are respectively provided at positions near two lateral side edge portions of the insulating protector extending in a direction in which the bus bars are aligned; and two wire routing grooves that are provided on an inner side of each bus bar housing portion, and in which detection wires drawn from unit cells are routed so as to detect the state of the unit cells. A bus bar cover for covering the closer one of the bus bar housing portions and a wire cover for covering the wire routing groove on the inner side of the closer bus bar housing portion are provided on each lateral side edge portion of the insulating protector.

An insulating protector attached to one side of a unit cell group includes: two bus bar housing portions, in each of which a plurality of bus bars for connecting adjacent electrode terminals are aligned and housed, and are respectively provided at positions near two lateral side edge portions of the insulating protector extending in a direction in which the bus bars are aligned; and two wire routing grooves that are provided on an inner side of each bus bar housing portion, and in which detection wires drawn from unit cells are routed so as to detect the state of the unit cells. A bus bar cover for covering the closer one of the bus bar housing portions and a wire cover for covering the wire routing groove on the inner side of the closer bus bar housing portion are provided on each lateral side edge portion of the insulating protector.

Provided is a copper alloy for electronic and electrical equipment including: 0.15 mass % or greater and less than 0.35 mass % of Mg; 0.0005 mass % or greater and less than 0.01 mass % of P; and a remainder which is formed of Cu and unavoidable impurities, in which a conductivity is greater than 75% IACS, and an average number of compounds containing Mg and P with a particle diameter of 0.1 μm or greater is 0.5 pieces/μm.sup.2 or less in observation using a scanning electron microscope.

A composite pane with an electrically controllable functional element that can be switched in segments, includes a first pane, a second pane, which are joined to one another via an intermediate layer, and a functional element that is integrated in the intermediate layer, wherein the functional element includes, arranged flat one over another, a first surface electrode and a second surface electrode, between which an active layer is arranged flat, the first surface electrode is divided into multiple segments by at least one separating line, a group of first busbars electrically conductively contact the first surface electrode, at least one second busbar electrically conductively contacts the second surface electrode, and wherein each segment of the first surface electrode is electrically conductively contacted by at least two busbars of the group of the first busbars.

A composite pane with an electrically controllable functional element that can be switched in segments, includes a first pane, a second pane, which are joined to one another via an intermediate layer, and a functional element that is integrated in the intermediate layer, wherein the functional element includes, arranged flat one over another, a first surface electrode and a second surface electrode, between which an active layer is arranged flat, the first surface electrode is divided into multiple segments by at least one separating line, a group of first busbars electrically conductively contact the first surface electrode, at least one second busbar electrically conductively contacts the second surface electrode, and wherein each segment of the first surface electrode is electrically conductively contacted by at least two busbars of the group of the first busbars.

Methods for producing a conductive element precursor and a conductive element, such as a tape or wire, are provided. The methods comprise growing a plurality of carbon nanotubes on a metallic substrate and coating carbon nanotubes of the plurality of carbon nanotubes on the metallic substrate with a metallic material.

Methods for producing a conductive element precursor and a conductive element, such as a tape or wire, are provided. The methods comprise growing a plurality of carbon nanotubes on a metallic substrate and coating carbon nanotubes of the plurality of carbon nanotubes on the metallic substrate with a metallic material.