Thermodynamic decomposition of BiFeO3 (BFO) powder has been investigated and its peritectic transition temperature was determined to be 852 +/- 5 degrees C. Other typical characteristic temperatures in Bi2O3-Fe2O3 pseudo-binary phase diagram were reevaluated with high-purity starting materials. Based on the precision knowledge of improved Bi2O3-Fe2O3 pseudo-binary phase diagram, 1-2 mm sized single crystals BFO have been grown and characterized, showing ferroelectric transition temperature near 825 degrees C and remanent polarization about 70 mu C/cm(2) along its polar axis. (C) 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.