AIN nanoparticles have been successfully synthesized by the reaction of AlCl3 and NaN3 in organic solvent at low temperature (280degreesC). After being sintered at, 700degreesC for 48 h, pure phase cubic AIN nanocrystals were produced. All Xray diffraction, Fourier transformation infrared spectroscopy and selective area. electron diffraction measurement results have confirmed that pure phase cubic AIN were obtained by this method. In addition, the morphology showed that the particles were in cubical shape and the average size was about 3 nm. (C) 2003 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.