<SUBMISSION>
<ACCESSION-NUMBER>0001181431-03-032974
<TYPE>4
<PUBLIC-DOCUMENT-COUNT>1
<PERIOD>20031124
<FILING-DATE>20031125
<REPORTING-OWNER>
<OWNER-DATA>
<CONFORMED-NAME>WHITMORE R JANET
<CIK>0001173970
</OWNER-DATA>
<FILING-VALUES>
<FORM-TYPE>4
<ACT>34
<FILE-NUMBER>000-22333
<FILM-NUMBER>031024151
</FILING-VALUES>
<BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>10305 OAKLYN DRIVE
<CITY>POTOMAC
<STATE>MD
<ZIP>20854
</BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
</REPORTING-OWNER>
<ISSUER>
<COMPANY-DATA>
<CONFORMED-NAME>NANOPHASE TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
<CIK>0000883107
<ASSIGNED-SIC>3390
<IRS-NUMBER>363687863
<STATE-OF-INCORPORATION>IL
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>1231
</COMPANY-DATA>
<BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>453 COMMERCE ST
<CITY>BURR RIDGE
<STATE>IL
<ZIP>60521
<PHONE>6303231200
</BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<MAIL-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>453 COMMERCE STREET
<CITY>BURR RIDGE
<STATE>IL
<ZIP>60521
</MAIL-ADDRESS>
</ISSUER>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>4
<SEQUENCE>1
<FILENAME>rrd23878.xml
<DESCRIPTION>FORM 4
<TEXT>
<XML>
<?xml version="1.0"?><ownershipDocument>
    <schemaVersion>X0201</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType><periodOfReport>2003-11-24</periodOfReport><notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>
    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000883107</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>NANOPHASE TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>NANX</issuerTradingSymbol></issuer><reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001173970</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>WHITMORE R JANET</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>1319 MARQUETTE DRIVE</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>ROMEOVILLE</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>IL</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>60446</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
            <reportingOwnerRelationship>
<isDirector>1</isDirector><isOfficer>0</isOfficer><isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner><isOther>0</isOther></reportingOwnerRelationship></reportingOwner><nonDerivativeTable><nonDerivativeHolding><securityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></securityTitle><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>133341</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeHolding><nonDerivativeHolding><securityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></securityTitle><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>14475</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>I</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value>By Daughter</value></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeHolding></nonDerivativeTable><derivativeTable><derivativeTransaction><securityTitle><value>Common Stock (right to buy)</value></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><value>5.55</value></conversionOrExercisePrice><transactionDate><value>2003-11-24</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>A</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>10000</value></transactionShares><transactionPricePerShare><value>0</value></transactionPricePerShare><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>A</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><exerciseDate><value>2004-11-24</value><footnoteId id="F1"/></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>2013-11-24</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></ownershipNature></derivativeTransaction></derivativeTable><footnotes><footnote id="F1">Subject to certain restrictions, beginning on this date, options vest in three equal annual installments.</footnote></footnotes><ownerSignature><signatureName>/s/ R. Janet Whitmore</signatureName><signatureDate>2003-11-25</signatureDate></ownerSignature></ownershipDocument>



</XML>
</TEXT>
</DOCUMENT>
</SUBMISSION>
