Superparamagnetic nanocomposites are provided. In an embodiment, a superparamagnetic nanocomposite comprises a superparamagnetic core comprising a first, soft superparamagnetic ferrite and a superparamagnetic shell comprising a second, soft superparamagnetic ferrite, the shell formed over the core, wherein the first and second soft superparamagnetic ferrites are different compounds and have different magnetocrystalline anisotropies.

Provided are methods for producing magnetic composites. In some embodiments, the methods include providing a material in a non-continuous solid form; providing optically resonant particles dispersed within at least a region of said material; and exposing the optically resonant particles to electromagnetic radiation to be absorbed thereby to optically resonate to generate heat to fuse together portions of the material in thermal contact therewith. In some embodiments, the optically resonant particles have magnetic properties and/or are adapted to have magnetic properties induced by a stimulus, and the material is a non-magnetic material. Also provided are systems, computer program products, and packages adapted to implement the presently disclosed methods.

A magnetic micro-particle (201) comprising one or more magnetic nano-wires (202).

A current sensor includes at least one primary circuit that is intended to conduct the current to be measured, and a secondary circuit containing at least four Neel-effect transducers, each having a coil and a superparamagnetic core. The current sensor is designed on the basis of a printed circuit board, the primary circuit including at least two distinct metal tracks that are composed of one and the same metal and connected to one another by a via made of a rivet, of a tube or of an electrolytic deposit of the same metal.

A battery cell, driven by heat, having a reservoir containing a redox couple electrolyte comprised of paramagnetic and diamagnetic ions. A magnet with a pole, projecting a non-uniform magnetic field unto the electrolyte, the magnetic field having a strong magnetic field area proximal to the magnetic pole and a weak magnetic field area distal to the magnetic pole. A positive electrode is placed in the strong magnetic field area and a negative electrode is placed in the weak magnetic field areas of the electrolyte. Ionic separation occurs as the paramagnetic ions drift to the strong magnetic field area, and the diamagnetic ions are repulsed from the magnetic pole and drift to the weak magnetic field area, causing voltage potential across the positive and negative electrodes. A circuit placed across the positive and negative electrodes of the battery draws electrons from the diamagnetic ions through the negative electrode and the electrical circuit to the positive electrode and into the paramagnetic ions. Paramagnetic ions in the strong field area reduce into converted diamagnetic ions as the paramagnetic ions receive electrons through the positive electrode, the converted diamagnetic ions repelled by the magnetic pole drift to the weak magnetic field area. Additionally, diamagnetic ions proximal to the weak magnetic field area oxidize into converted paramagnetic ions as the diamagnetic ions lose electrons through the negative electrode, the converted paramagnetic ions attracted to the magnetic pole drift to the strong magnetic field area.

In various embodiments magnetically actuated liquid crystals are provided as well as method of manufacturing such, methods of using the liquid crystals and devices incorporating the liquid crystals. In one non-limiting embodiment the liquid crystals comprise Fe.sub.3O.sub.4 nanorods where the nanorods are coated with a silica coating.

To a co-precipitating aqueous solution, aqueous solutions containing (a) Tb ions, (b) at least one other rare earth ions selected from the group consisting of Y ions and lanthanoid rare earth ions (excluding Tb ions), (c) Al ions and (d) Sc ions are added; the resulting solution is stirred at a liquid temperature of 50 C. or less to induce a co-precipitate of the components (a), (b), (c) and (d); the co-precipitate is filtered, heated and dehydrated; and the co-precipitate is fired thereafter at from 1,000 C. to 1,300 C., thereby forming a sinterable garnet-type complex oxide powder.

Provided is a composite member including: an inorganic matrix part made from an inorganic substance that includes at least one of a metal oxide or a metal oxide hydroxide as a main component, contains substantially no single metal and alloy, and is a diamagnetic substance or a paramagnetic substance; and a ferromagnetic material part that is present inside the inorganic matrix part, directly bonds with the inorganic substance making up the inorganic matrix part, and is made from a ferromagnetic substance. In the inorganic matrix part, particles of the inorganic substance are continuously present, and the inorganic matrix part has a larger volume ratio than that of the ferromagnetic material part.

The present invention provides a method for producing a magnetic nanoparticle-coated laminate material. The method comprises coating a pair of opposed surfaces of a plurality of steel or iron/cobalt (Fe/Co) alloy film portions with a magnetic nanoparticle-containing coating. Each magnetic nanoparticle comprises a core and a shell covering at least a portion of the core. The shell and core are made of different materials selected from one or more of: iron, cobalt, nickel; and/or alloys comprising two or more of: iron, cobalt and/or nickel; and/or magnetic rare earth metals; and/or diamagnetic transition metals. The method further comprises stacking the coated film portions on top of each other such that a or each coated surface of each film portion is located adjacent a further coated surface of an adjacent film portion; and compressing the stacked coated film portions together to form a nanoparticle-coated laminate material.

An inductive sensor includes a core body, a coil wound on the core body, a cavity having a fixed volume within the core body, and an epoxy mixture filling a controlled portion of the fixed volume. The controlled portion of the fixed volume filled with the epoxy mixture controls an inductance of the sensor.