Hydrothermal treatment at low temperatures is proposed for obtaining a nanocrystalline zinc aluminate spinel of interesting properties from catalytic point of view, including high specific surface area (up to 340 m(2)/g), nanoporosity, and narrow pore size distribution. The precursors for hydrothermal synthesis were basic aluminium nitrate having the empirical formula Al-2(OH)(6-x)(NO3)(x) wherein x was equal or closed to 1, and hydrated zinc acetate. The proposed synthesis, in contrast to other methods, does not require a high temperature calcination to obtain the spinel phase, The properties of hydrothermally obtained zinc aluminate spinel make them an advanced material suitable for use in catalytic or high-tech ceramic applications.