Boron nitride is a extraordinary topic in the area of materials science. Due to the special bonding behaviors of boron and nitrogen the BN exists in many different structures. The well-defined crystallographic structures are hexagonal BN (h-BN), rhombohedral BN (r-BN), wurtzitic BN (w-BN), and cubic BN (c-BN). Additionally, other crystalline and amorphous structures exist. Exceptional is that there are still discussions about the BN phase diagram. In the present stage c-BN is the stable phase at standard conditions but exact data about the phase transition line are not yet available. Synthesis of h-BN powders and coatings is described as well as applications of BN in ceramic materials and as lubricant. For c-BN the high-pressure high-temperature synthesis for powder production is discussed, and an overview about applications in wear resistant ceramics (polycrystalline c-BN) is given. The low-pressure methods for nano-cBN deposition (PVD and Plasma CVD) are described.