Aluminum nitride nanorings with hexangular crystal structure were first synthesized by evaporating of aluminum alloy in ammonia/nitrogen atmosphere at 1100 degrees C. The products were characterized by transmission electron microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, FT-IR absorption and Raman scattering. Nanorings with the diameter of about 3 mu m are formed by bending nanowires. HRTEM and electron diffraction studies revealed that nanorings are single crystal and the c-axis of the AIN crystal directs along the radial direction of the nanoring. The electrostatic polar charge model is employed in the explanation of the AIN nanoring formation. (c) 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.