An aluminum base wire includes a core wire composed of pure aluminum or an aluminum alloy; a plurality of coating pieces provided so as to be scattered on an outer periphery of the core wire; and a coating layer provided on the outer periphery of the core wire and an outer periphery of each of the plurality of coating pieces. The coating layer includes a first layer that is provided continuously on the outer periphery of the core wire between adjacent coating pieces and the outer periphery of each of the plurality of coating pieces, and a second layer provided on an outer periphery of the first layer. The plurality of coating pieces are each composed of copper or a copper alloy, the first layer is composed of metals that include copper and tin, and the second layer is composed of tin or a tin alloy.

An aluminum base wire includes a core wire composed of pure aluminum or an aluminum alloy; a plurality of coating pieces provided so as to be scattered on an outer periphery of the core wire; and a coating layer provided on the outer periphery of the core wire and an outer periphery of each of the plurality of coating pieces. The coating layer includes a first layer that is provided continuously on the outer periphery of the core wire between adjacent coating pieces and the outer periphery of each of the plurality of coating pieces, and a second layer provided on an outer periphery of the first layer. The plurality of coating pieces are each composed of copper or a copper alloy, the first layer is composed of metals that include copper and tin, and the second layer is composed of tin or a tin alloy.

An aluminum base wire includes a core wire made of pure aluminum or an aluminum alloy and a coating layer provided on an outer periphery of the core wire. The coating layer includes a first layer provided on the outer periphery of the core wire, a second layer provided on an outer periphery of the first layer, and a third layer provided on an outer periphery of the second layer. The first layer is composed of at least one metal selected from the group consisting of nickel, a nickel alloy, copper, and a copper alloy, the second layer is composed of metals that include zinc and tin, the third layer is composed of at least one metal selected from the group consisting of tin and tin alloys that contain substantially no zinc, and a zinc content in the second layer is 15 atomic % or more and 60 atomic % or less.

An aluminum base wire includes a core wire made of pure aluminum or an aluminum alloy and a coating layer provided on an outer periphery of the core wire. The coating layer includes a first layer provided on the outer periphery of the core wire, a second layer provided on an outer periphery of the first layer, and a third layer provided on an outer periphery of the second layer. The first layer is composed of at least one metal selected from the group consisting of nickel, a nickel alloy, copper, and a copper alloy, the second layer is composed of metals that include zinc and tin, the third layer is composed of at least one metal selected from the group consisting of tin and tin alloys that contain substantially no zinc, and a zinc content in the second layer is 15 atomic % or more and 60 atomic % or less.

A copper alloy for electronic and electrical equipment is provided, 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, a content [Mg] (mass %) of Mg and a content [P] (mass %) of P satisfy a relational expression of [Mg]+20×[P]<0.5, and a content of H is 10 mass ppm or less, a content of O is 100 mass ppm or less, a content of S is 50 mass ppm or less, and a content of C is 10 mass ppm or less.

A copper alloy for electronic and electrical equipment is provided, 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, a content [Mg] (mass %) of Mg and a content [P] (mass %) of P satisfy a relational expression of [Mg]+20×[P]<0.5, and a content of H is 10 mass ppm or less, a content of O is 100 mass ppm or less, a content of S is 50 mass ppm or less, and a content of C is 10 mass ppm or less.

This copper alloy contains greater than 10 mass ppm and less than 100 mass ppm of Mg, with a balance being Cu and inevitable impurities, which comprise: 10 mass ppm or less of S, 10 mass ppm or less of P, 5 mass ppm or less of Se, 5 mass ppm or less of Te, 5 mass ppm or less of Sb, 5 mass ppm or less of Bi, and 5 mass ppm or less of As. The total amount of S, P, Se, Te, Sb, Bi, and As is 30 mass ppm or less. The mass ratio [Mg]/[S+P+Se+Te+Sb+Bi+As] is 0.6 to 50, an electrical conductivity is 97% IACS or greater. The half-softening temperature ratio T.sub.LD/T.sub.TD is greater than 0.95 and less than 1.08. The half-softening temperature T.sub.LD is 210° C. or higher.

A copper alloy plastically-worked material comprises Mg in the amount of greater than 10 mass ppm and 100 mass ppm or less and a balance of Cu and inevitable impurities, that comprise 10 mass ppm or less of S, 10 mass ppm or less of P, 5 mass ppm or less of Se, 5 mass ppm or less of Te, 5 mass ppm or less of Sb, 5 mass ppm or less of Bi, and 5 mass ppm or less of As. The total amount of S, P, Se, Te, Sb, Bi, and As is 30 mass ppm or less. The mass ratio of [Mg]/[S+P+Se+Te+Sb+Bi+As] is 0.6 or greater and 50 or less, the electrical conductivity is 97% IACS or greater. The tensile strength is 200 MPa or greater. The heat-resistant temperature is 150° C. or higher.

This copper alloy of one aspect contains greater than 10 mass ppm and less than 100 mass ppm of Mg, with a balance being Cu and inevitable impurities, in which among the inevitable impurities, a S amount is 10 mass ppm or less, a P amount is 10 mass ppm or less, a Se amount is 5 mass ppm or less, a Te amount is 5 mass ppm or less, an Sb amount is 5 mass ppm or less, a Bi amount is 5 mass ppm or less, an As amount is 5 mass ppm or less, a total amount of S, P, Se, Te, Sb, Bi, and As is 30 mass ppm or less, a mass ratio [Mg]/[S+P+Se+Te+Sb+Bi+As] is 0.6 to 50, an electrical conductivity is 97% IACS or greater, and a residual stress ratio at 150° C. for 1000 hours is 20% or greater.

A busbar for electrical power distribution applications. The busbar includes an aluminum (Al) metal matrix composite (MMC) having nanoscale carbon particles (e.g., carbon nanotubes). In one example, the concentration of the nanoscale carbon particles is in a range of 0.01 to 2 percent weight (wt %). The nanoscale carbon particles are evenly distributed throughout an entirety of the Al-MMC.