Ultrafine particles of aluminum nitride (AlN) are produced by a transferred arc plasma. Two devices are used : a transferred arc plasma on aluminum metal in nitrogen or nitrogenlammonia atmospheres, and a new concept of transferred arc plasma where DC anode and cathode arcs are coupled together above an aluminum melt. Equilibrium chemical compositions were calculated. The temperature distributions in the plasma are measured by emission spectroscopy. The powder, made from 99.8% aluminum ingot, was analyzed and confirmed to be 99.3% of hexagonal phase aluminum nitride. In other tests, from 99.99% aluminum ingot, a translucent AlN sinter was obtained. The densification behavior was assessed by hot pressing and by pressureless sintering, with and without additives. The thermal conductivities are given.