The effects of the sintering temperature and time on the phase evolution, microstructure and superconducting properties in a typical Pb-doped Bi-Sr-Ca-Cu-O (BSCCO) system, Bi 1.6 Pb 0.4 Sr 2 Ca 2 Cu 3 O 7 , were examined systematically by X-ray diffraction (XRD), thermo gravimetricdifferential thermal analysis, scanning electron microscopy, and four-point probe resistivity measurements. The samples were prepared by the citrate based sol-gel method using their corresponding nitrates as the starting materials. The samples were sintered at different temperatures, ranging from 820 to 860 • C with different dwell-times (24-120 h). The results showed that the sintering temperature had a significant effect on the structure and superconducting transition temperature ( TC ). XRD showed that when the samples were heat treated at 550 • C, the BSCCO 2201 phase appeared, whereas peaks corresponding to the BSCCO 2112 phase were dominant at 800 • C. At 840 • C, only the peaks corresponding to the BSCCO 2212 and 2223 phases were detected with no impurities. A strong correlation was observed between the structural data and TC ; the samples sintered at 840 • C for 120 h exhibited the maximum T onset C (115.7 K).