This paper reports the rapid synthesis of barium titanate (BaTiO3, BTO) microcubes via composite-hydroxides-mediated reaction within 1 min. X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy dispersion spectrum (EDS) results confirmed both cubic and tetragonal lattices in the sample and the uniform microcubes with an average size of 1 p.m. Ultraviolet-visible (UV-vis) spectrum indicated that the band gap of the BTO powder was 3.05 eV. Ferroelectric polarization vs. electric field (P-E) tests showed that the ferroelectric domains had formed in the as-synthesized BTO microcubes and sintered ceramics. BTO ceramics sintered at 1100 degrees C for 3 h showed fairly good tetragonality and possessed a maximum polarization of 0.21 mu C/cm(2), indicating that the sintering temperature for the BTO powders prepared via this method was relatively low. The process and equipment reported herein provided a potential method for the rapid synthesis of titanate based perovskites. (C) 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.