A　novel　acetabuliform　nanoporous　hexagonal　boron　nitride　(h-BN)　was　synthesized　via　a　facile　solid　state　reaction.　The　purified　sample　was　characterized　by　X-ray　diffraction,　Fourier　transform　infrared　spectroscopy,　X-ray　photoelectron　spectrometer,　electron　energy-loss　spectroscopy,　electron　microscopy,　atomic　force　microscopy　and　N-2　porosimetry.　The　results　show　that　the　obtained　acetabuliform　BN　nanoparticles　has　a　uniform　diameter　distribution　from　30　to　80　nm,　a　surface　area　of　120　m(2)　g(-1)　and　an　average　pore　centered　at　3.86　nm　with　a　narrow　pore　distribution.　(C)　2008　Acta　Materialia　Inc.　Published　by　Elsevier　Ltd.　All　rights　reserved.