Abstract: The present invention is a metallic wire rod comprising iridium or an iridium-containing alloy and, the wire rod has in the cross section thereof biaxial crystal orientation of 50% or more of abundance proportion of textures in which crystallographic orientation has preferred orientation to <100> direction. In the present invention, crystal orientation in the outer periphery from semicircle of the cross section which is the periphery of the wire rod is important, and in this zone, abundance proportion of textures in which crystallographic orientation has preferred orientation to <100> direction is preferably not less than 50%.

Abstract: The present invention is a metallic wire rod comprising iridium or an iridium-containing alloy and, the wire rod has in the cross section thereof biaxial crystal orientation of 50% or more of abundance proportion of textures in which crystallographic orientation has preferred orientation to <100> direction. In the present invention, crystal orientation in the outer periphery from semicircle of the cross section which is the periphery of the wire rod is important, and in this zone, abundance proportion of textures in which crystallographic orientation has preferred orientation to <100> direction is preferably not less than 50%.

Abstract: The invention is a novel fullerene-added lead zirconate titanate and a method of producing the same, wherein zirconium alkoxide, titanium alkoxide and lead acetate are dissolved in an organic solvent with a stabilizer to form a colloidal solution or sol. The colloidal solution is added with fullerene, gelatinized, dried and fired at a relatively low temperature, for example, 400 to 500° C., whereby a perovskite phase can effectively be formed at a temperature lower than in conventional methods.