The invention provides a ceramic composite oxide of formula (I): (1−x)AaBbOy+xCcDdOz (I) wherein A, B, C and D are each independently selected from the group consisting of Li, Na, Mg, Al, P, K, Ca, Sc, Ti, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, Ga, Sr, Y, Zr, Nb, Mo, Ru, In, Sn, Ba, La, Ce, Pr, Nd, Sm, Eu, Gd, Er, Tm, Yb, Lu, Ta, W, Bi and mixtures thereof; x is 0.05 to 0.95; y and z are balanced by the charge of the cations; 0≤a, b, c, d≤1; and wherein said ceramic composite oxide has an average particle size diameter of 10 to 700 nm.

A ferrite composition includes a main component and a sub-component. The main component includes 10.0 to 38.0 mol % of a Fe compound in terms of Fe.sub.2O.sub.3, 3.0 to 11.0 mol % of a Cu compound in terms of CuO, 39.0 to 80.0 mol % (excluding 39.0 mol %) of a Zn compound in terms of ZnO, and a balance of a Ni compound. The sub-component includes 10.0 to 23.0 parts by weight of a Si compound in terms of SiO.sub.2, 0 to 3.0 parts by weight (including 0 parts by weight) of a Co compound in terms of Co.sub.3O.sub.4, and 0.1 to 3.0 parts by weight of a Bi compound in terms of Bi.sub.2O.sub.3 with respect to 100 parts by weight of the main component.

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.

A piezoelectric composition comprises silver and an oxide containing bismuth, barium, iron, and titanium. The oxide has a perovskite structure. The mass of the oxide is represented by M.sub.ABO3 and the mass of the silver is represented by M.sub.AG. 100×M.sub.AG/M.sub.ABO3 is 0.01 or more and 10.00 or less.

A piezoelectric composition comprises silver and an oxide containing bismuth, barium, iron, and titanium. The oxide has a perovskite structure. The mass of the oxide is represented by M.sub.ABO3 and the mass of the silver is represented by M.sub.AG. 100×M.sub.AG/M.sub.ABO3 is 0.01 or more and 10.00 or less.

A ferrite sintered body contains from 48.2% by mole to 49.7% by mole Fe in terms of Fe.sub.2O.sub.3, from 2.0% by mole to 8.0% by mole Cu in terms of CuO, from 12.0% by mole to 19.0% by mole Ni in terms of NiO, and from 28.5% by mole to 33.0% by mole Zn in terms of ZnO, in which when Fe, Cu, Ni, and Zn are converted to Fe.sub.2O.sub.3, CuO, NiO, and ZnO, respectively, and when the total amount of the Fe.sub.2O.sub.3, the CuO, the NiO, and the ZnO is 100 parts by weight, the ferrite sintered body contains from 5 ppm to 25 ppm B in terms of elemental B and 6 ppm to 25 ppm Nb in terms of elemental Nb.

A ferrite sintered body contains Fe, Mn, Zn, Cu, and Ni. Supposing that Fe, Mn, Zn, Cu, and Ni are converted into Fe.sub.2O.sub.3, Mn.sub.2O.sub.3, ZnO, CuO, and NiO, respectively, and the sum of the contents of Fe.sub.2O.sub.3, Mn.sub.2O.sub.3, ZnO, CuO, and NiO is 100 mol %, the sum of the contents of Fe.sub.2O.sub.3 and Mn.sub.2O.sub.3 is 48.47 mol % to 49.93 mol %, the content of Mn.sub.2O.sub.3 is 0.07 mol % to 0.37 mol %, the content of ZnO is 28.95 mol % to 33.50 mol %, and the content of CuO is 2.98 mol % to 6.05 mol %. Furthermore, 102 ppm to 4,010 ppm Zr in terms of ZrO.sub.2 and 10 ppm to 220 ppm Al in terms of Al.sub.2O.sub.3 are contained per 100 parts by weight of the sum of the amounts of contained Fe.sub.2O.sub.3, Mn.sub.2O.sub.3, ZnO, CuO, and NiO.

A ferrite sintered body contains from 45.0% by mole to 49.7% by mole Fe in terms of from Fe.sub.2O.sub.3, 2.0% by mole to 8.0% by mole Cu in terms of CuO, from 25.0% by mole to 45.0% by mole Ni in terms of NiO, and from 1.0% by mole to 20.0% by mole Zn in terms of ZnO, in which when Fe, Cu, Ni, and Zn are converted to Fe.sub.2O.sub.3, CuO, NiO, and ZnO, respectively, and when the total amount of the Fe.sub.2O.sub.3, the CuO, the NiO, and the ZnO is 100 parts by weight, the ferrite sintered body contains from 5 ppm to 25 ppm B in terms of elemental B and from 6 ppm to 25 ppm Nb in terms of elemental Nb.

A ferrite sintered body contains from 45.0% by mole to 49.7% by mole Fe in terms of from Fe.sub.2O.sub.3, 2.0% by mole to 8.0% by mole Cu in terms of CuO, from 25.0% by mole to 45.0% by mole Ni in terms of NiO, and from 1.0% by mole to 20.0% by mole Zn in terms of ZnO, in which when Fe, Cu, Ni, and Zn are converted to Fe.sub.2O.sub.3, CuO, NiO, and ZnO, respectively, and when the total amount of the Fe.sub.2O.sub.3, the CuO, the NiO, and the ZnO is 100 parts by weight, the ferrite sintered body contains from 5 ppm to 25 ppm B in terms of elemental B and from 6 ppm to 25 ppm Nb in terms of elemental Nb.

A ferrite sintered body contains from 48.2% by mole to 49.7% by mole Fe in terms of Fe.sub.2O.sub.3, from 2.0% by mole to 8.0% by mole Cu in terms of CuO, from 17.7% by mole to 24.0% by mole Ni in terms of NiO, and from 21.0% by mole to 28.0% by mole Zn in terms of ZnO, in which, when Fe, Cu, Ni, and Zn are converted to Fe.sub.2O.sub.3, CuO, NiO, and ZnO, respectively, and when the total amount of the Fe.sub.2O.sub.3, the CuO, the NiO, and the ZnO is 100 parts by weight, the ferrite sintered body contains from 5 ppm to 25 ppm B in terms of elemental B and from 6 ppm to 25 ppm Nb in terms of elemental Nb.