Epitaxial CoFe2O4-BiFeO3 nanocomposite thin films were synthesized on perovskite structured SrTiO3 (001) and (111) substrates by combinatorial pulsed laser deposition and characterized using scanning electron microscopy, x-ray diffraction, and vibrating sample magnetometer. Triangular BiFeO3 nano pillars were formed in a CoFe2O4 matrix on (111) oriented SrTiO3 substrates, while CoFe2O4 nanopillars with rectangular or square top surfaces grew in a BiFeO3 matrix on (001) substrates. The magnetic hysteresis loops of nanocomposites on (111) oriented SrTiO3 substrates showed isotropic properties due to the strain relaxation while those of films on SrTiO3 (001) substrates exhibited a strong out-of-plane anisotropy originated from shape and strain effects. (C) 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.