TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - INORGANIC CHEMISTRY - Preferred Components: The portion of the current collector is formed of a continuous element. The outer cladding of environmentally isolating material forms an electrically conductive oxide layer. The outer cladding is selected from Crofer (RTM: stainless steel), 441 stainless steel, chrome ferritic steel (20-30%), 430 stainless steel, Ebrite (RTM: stainless steel), Alumel (RTM: stainless steel), MPN LT35 (RTM: stainless steel), Hayew 230 (RTM: stainless steel), stainless steel having a temperature tolerance of 800 degrees C and higher with resistance to both oxidizing and reducing environments, nickel alloys, cobalt alloys or precious metals. The inner core is selected from copper, copper containing alloys, gold, silver, platinum, nickel and metals having a high conductivity. The current collector further includes an intermediate layer (55) surrounding the inner core. The intermediate layer is surrounded by an outer layer (60). The intermediate layer is formed of an environmentally isolating material and the outer layer is formed of an oxidation resistant material. The wire cross section is non-circular. The current collector includes at least one additional layer (65) selected from a bonding layer, a catalyst layer, a protective layer, a catalyst support layer, a layer that inhibits carbon deposition and formation in environments containing carbon containing species, a sinter bonding layer, a barrier layer to chromium vaporization, a getter layer for species entering or leaving the at least one wire, a layer containing a braze material designed to bond the wire to itself or adjoining materials and a layer providing creep tolerance at elevated temperatures. The intermediate or outer layers provides an electrically conductive path from an exterior of the wire towards an interior of the wire. The inner core, intermediate layer, outer layer and additional layer is configured in a two dimensional pattern or non-concentric ring geometry. The wire includes several segments joined together, where at least one of the segments includes an inner core of high conductivity metal and an outer cladding of an environmentally isolating material. The wire is formed of a continuous segment. The current collector further includes additional wire segments attached to at least one wire.