Exhibit 99.1

                           CERTIFICATION PURSUANT TO
                            18 U.S.C. SECTION 1350,
                             AS ADOPTED PURSUANT TO
                 SECTION 906 OF THE SARBANES-OXLEY ACT OF 2002

     In connection with the Quarterly Report of Nanophase Technologies
Corporation (the "Company") on Form 10Q for the period ending June 30, 2002 as
filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on the date hereof (the
"Report"), I, Joseph Cross, Chief Executive Officer of the Company, certify,
pursuant to 18 U.S.C. (S) 1350, as adopted pursuant to (S) 906 of the
Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, that:

     (1)    The Report fully complies with the requirements of section 13(a) or
            15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934; and

     (2)    The information contained in the Report fairly presents, in all
            material respects, the financial condition and result of operations
            of the Company.



                                                      /s/ Joseph Cross
                                              ----------------------------------
                                                      Joseph Cross,
                                                      Chief Executive Officer


Date:  August 14, 2002