Potassium hexatitanate whiskers were synthesized starting from metatitanic acid (H(2)TiO(3)) Potassium carbonate and sulfate by calcination method. The effects of mole ratios of K(2)CO(3) to metatitanic acid (H(2)TiO(3)), content of potassium sulfate, and calcination temperature on the crystallinity and morphology of the resultant potassium titanate whiskers were investigated by X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy. Well crystallized potassium hexatitanate whiskers with an average length of 7.3 mu m and an average diameter of 0.62 mu m were synthesized when the molar ratio of K2CO3 to metatitanic acid was kept at 1:3.5 and the calcination temperature was up to 1150 degrees C. The presence of K(2)SO(4) favored the formation of thin potassium hexatitanate whiskers as compared to the absence of K(2)SO(4). The whiteness and brightness of the synthesized potassium hexatitanate whiskers were comparable to that of rutile TiO(2) pigment. (C) 2008 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.