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Nanocrystalline titania (nominally TiO2) has received great attention in recent years due to its
unique dielectric, optical and catalytic properties. Photocatalysis is being exploited for the destruction of
water and airborne organic pollutants. Properties influencing photocatalytic activity of titania particles
include surface area, crystallinity, crystallite size and crystal structure. In this study, the properties of
titania are systematized with respect to thermal history and processing parameters. Methods are described to
manipulate polymorphic phase transformations and photoactivity of nanocrystalline TiO2 powders synthesized by a
sol-gel route. The characteristics of the materials were investigated using HRTEM, XRD Rietveld refinement, and
UV-Vis spectrometry and correlations drawn between structure, crystallite size, chemical composition and
photoactivity. The quantum size effect was observed in the size-controlled nanocrystalline TiO2 particles.
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