Nontoxic lead-free multiferroic magnetoelectric composites were successfully prepared by incorporating the dispersed 0.15Ni(0.98)Co(0.02)Fe(2)O(4) (NCF) ferromagnetic nanoparticles into 0.85(K(0.5)Na(0.5))NbO(3)-LiSbO(3) (KNN-LS) ferroelectric micromatrix. The composites show ferroelectric behaviors and magnetic characteristics. The converse magnetoelectric effect (CME) characteristics with the driving electric field, frequency and bias magnetic field (H(Bias)) were investigated in detail by using double coils at room temperature. The CME behaviors are strongly dependent on the driving electric field, frequency and H(Bias). Large CME coefficient (2.21 x 10(-10) s/m) was obtained at low frequency and low magnetic bias field (800 Oe). The induced saturation magnetization (delta M) has an excellent linear relationship with the applied ac electric field with amplitude varying from 7 to 73 V/cm. The CME coefficient increases initially with the increase in H(Bias) and then decreases with the further increase in the field. (C) 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.