-----BEGIN PRIVACY-ENHANCED MESSAGE-----
Proc-Type: 2001,MIC-CLEAR
Originator-Name: webmaster@www.sec.gov
Originator-Key-Asymmetric:
 MFgwCgYEVQgBAQICAf8DSgAwRwJAW2sNKK9AVtBzYZmr6aGjlWyK3XmZv3dTINen
 TWSM7vrzLADbmYQaionwg5sDW3P6oaM5D3tdezXMm7z1T+B+twIDAQAB
MIC-Info: RSA-MD5,RSA,
 H8frIv32F+IEmA7MNytt9Oh71/S7hZWCU2yLW2FoWszpXhh54/BT7vMvdTb3mY18
 4+BzDMvS4SDq0dkL7A8DwQ==

<SEC-DOCUMENT>0001181431-03-012094.txt : 20030701
<SEC-HEADER>0001181431-03-012094.hdr.sgml : 20030701
<ACCEPTANCE-DATETIME>20030630181128
ACCESSION NUMBER:		0001181431-03-012094
CONFORMED SUBMISSION TYPE:	4
PUBLIC DOCUMENT COUNT:		1
CONFORMED PERIOD OF REPORT:	20030626
FILED AS OF DATE:		20030701

REPORTING-OWNER:	

	OWNER DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			HENDERSON JAMES A
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0001182603

	FILING VALUES:
		FORM TYPE:		4
		SEC ACT:		1934 Act
		SEC FILE NUMBER:	000-22333
		FILM NUMBER:		03765859

	MAIL ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		301 WASHINGTON ST
		CITY:			COLUMBUS
		STATE:			IN
		ZIP:			47201

ISSUER:		

	COMPANY DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			NANOPHASE TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0000883107
		STANDARD INDUSTRIAL CLASSIFICATION:	MISCELLANEOUS PRIMARY METAL PRODUCTS [3390]
		IRS NUMBER:				363687863
		STATE OF INCORPORATION:			IL
		FISCAL YEAR END:			1231

	BUSINESS ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		453 COMMERCE ST
		CITY:			BURR RIDGE
		STATE:			IL
		ZIP:			60521
		BUSINESS PHONE:		6303231200

	MAIL ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		453 COMMERCE STREET
		CITY:			BURR RIDGE
		STATE:			IL
		ZIP:			60521
</SEC-HEADER>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>4
<SEQUENCE>1
<FILENAME>rrd11678.xml
<DESCRIPTION>FORM 4
<TEXT>
<XML>
<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>
    <schemaVersion>X0101</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>
<periodOfReport>2003-06-26</periodOfReport>
<notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>
    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000883107</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>NANOPHASE TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>NANX</issuerTradingSymbol></issuer>
<reportingOwner>
<reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001182603</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>HENDERSON JAMES A</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>  </rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>  </rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>  </rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>  </rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>  </rptOwnerZipCode>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
            <reportingOwnerRelationship>
<isDirector>1</isDirector>
<isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
<isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
<isOther>0</isOther>
<officerTitle></officerTitle>
<otherText></otherText></reportingOwnerRelationship></reportingOwner>
<nonDerivativeSecurity>
<securityTitle>
<value>Common Stock</value></securityTitle>
<transactionDate>
<value>1988-08-08</value></transactionDate>
<transactionCoding>
<transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
<transactionCode>A</transactionCode>
<equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding>
<transactionTimeliness>
<value></value></transactionTimeliness>
<transactionAmounts>
<transactionShares>
<value>0</value></transactionShares>
<transactionValue>
<value>0</value></transactionValue>
<transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
<value>A</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts>
<postTransactionAmounts>
<sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
<value>8410</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts>
<ownershipNature>
<directOrIndirectOwnership>
<value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership>
<natureOfOwnership>
<value></value></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeSecurity>
<derivativeSecurity>
<securityTitle>
<value>Common Stock (right to buy)</value></securityTitle>
<conversionOrExercisePrice>
<value>8.57</value></conversionOrExercisePrice>
<transactionDate>
<value>1988-08-08</value></transactionDate>
<transactionCoding>
<transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
<transactionCode>A</transactionCode>
<equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding>
<transactionAmounts>
<transactionShares>
<value>0</value></transactionShares>
<transactionValue>
<value>0</value></transactionValue>
<transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
<value>A</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts>
<exerciseDate>
<value>2002-07-17</value>
<footnoteId id="F1"/></exerciseDate>
<expirationDate>
<value>2011-07-17</value></expirationDate>
<underlyingSecurity>
<underlyingSecurityTitle>
<value>Common Stock</value></underlyingSecurityTitle>
<underlyingSecurityShares>
<value>10000</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity>
<postTransactionAmounts>
<sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
<value>10000</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts>
<ownershipNature>
<directOrIndirectOwnership>
<value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership>
<natureOfOwnership>
<value></value></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeSecurity>
<derivativeSecurity>
<securityTitle>
<value>Common Stock (right to buy)</value></securityTitle>
<conversionOrExercisePrice>
<value>3.78</value></conversionOrExercisePrice>
<transactionDate>
<value>1988-08-08</value></transactionDate>
<transactionCoding>
<transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
<transactionCode>A</transactionCode>
<equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding>
<transactionAmounts>
<transactionShares>
<value>0</value></transactionShares>
<transactionValue>
<value>0</value></transactionValue>
<transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
<value>A</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts>
<exerciseDate>
<value>2003-11-25</value>
<footnoteId id="F1"/></exerciseDate>
<expirationDate>
<value>2012-11-25</value></expirationDate>
<underlyingSecurity>
<underlyingSecurityTitle>
<value>Common Stock</value></underlyingSecurityTitle>
<underlyingSecurityShares>
<value>2000</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity>
<postTransactionAmounts>
<sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
<value>2000</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts>
<ownershipNature>
<directOrIndirectOwnership>
<value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership>
<natureOfOwnership>
<value></value></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeSecurity>
<derivativeSecurity>
<securityTitle>
<value>Common Stock (right to buy)</value></securityTitle>
<conversionOrExercisePrice>
<value>5.07</value></conversionOrExercisePrice>
<transactionDate>
<value>2003-06-26</value></transactionDate>
<transactionCoding>
<transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
<transactionCode>A</transactionCode>
<equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding>
<transactionAmounts>
<transactionShares>
<value>2000</value></transactionShares>
<transactionValue>
<value>0</value></transactionValue>
<transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
<value>A</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts>
<exerciseDate>
<value>2004-06-26</value>
<footnoteId id="F1"/></exerciseDate>
<expirationDate>
<value>2013-06-26</value></expirationDate>
<underlyingSecurity>
<underlyingSecurityTitle>
<value>Common Stock</value></underlyingSecurityTitle>
<underlyingSecurityShares>
<value>2000</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity>
<postTransactionAmounts>
<sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
<value>2000</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts>
<ownershipNature>
<directOrIndirectOwnership>
<value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership>
<natureOfOwnership>
<value></value></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeSecurity>
<footnotes>
<footnote id="F1">Subject to certain restrictions, the options vest in three equal annual installments.</footnote></footnotes>
<ownerSignature>
<signatureName>By Jess Jankowski under UPA for James A. Henderson</signatureName>
<signatureDate>2003-06-30</signatureDate></ownerSignature></ownershipDocument>


</XML>
</TEXT>
</DOCUMENT>
</SEC-DOCUMENT>
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