Sol-gel derived Bi2Ti2O7 ceramic powders have been prepared from methoxyethoxides of bismuth and titanium (molar ratio of Ti/Bi = 1.23 and water/alkoxides = 1.31). The Bi2Ti2O7 phase was stable at a low temperature (700 degreesC), but it then transformed into mixed phases of Bi4Ti3O12 and B2Ti4O11 at 850-1150 degreesC. The single phase of Bi2Ti2O7 reoccurred at 1200 degreesC. Dielectric properties and ferroelectric behavior of samples sintered at 1150 and 1200 degreesC were examined. Under frequency of 1 MHz, samples sintered at 1150 and 1200 degreesC had a dielectric constant of 101.3 and 104.2, and a loss tangent of 0.0193 and 0.0145, respectively. Only the sample sintered at 1150 degreesC showed ferroelectric behavior, where remanent polarization is 3.77 muC cm(-2) and coercive field is 24kV cm(-1). Thus, the Bi2Ti2O7 did not exhibit ferroelectricity, but the mixed phase of Bi4Ti3O12 and Bi2Ti4O11 did. (C) 2003 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.