Polycrystalline phases of the potassium hexatitanate (K2Ti6O13) were synthesized by conventional solid state reaction and sol-gel methods with a view to compare structural, electrical, optical and photocatalytic properties. Single phase K2Ti6O13 prepared by sol-gel method (PSG) revealed higher value of dielectric constant than same obtained by the solid state reaction method (PSS), attributed to smaller particle size in sol-gel method. Band gap (3.48 eV) of K2Ti6O13 prepared by sol-gel method was found higher than (3.06 eV), obtained in solid state reaction method. Additionally, K2Ti6O13 was tested as photocatalyst on the degradation of methyl orange (MO) under UV light and found better activity for sample PSG. Morphological characteristic exhibited formation of nanorods in sol-gel route and formation of microrods in solid state reaction method. (C) 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.