Simple soft-solution method has been developed to synthesize films and powders of TiO2 and mixed TiO2-SiO2 at relatively low temperatures. This method is simple and inexpensive. Furthermore, reactor can be designed for large-scale applications as well as to produce large quantities of composite powders in a single step. For the preparation of TiO2, we used aqueous acidic medium containing TiOSO4 and H2O2, which results in a peroxo-titanium precursor while colloidal SiO2 has been added to the precursor for the formation of TiO2-SiO2. Post annealing at 500 degrees C is necessary to have anatase structure. Resulting films and powders were characterized by different techniques. TiO2 (anatase) phase with (1 0 1) preferred orientation has been obtained. Also in TiO2-SiO2 mixed films and powders, TiO2 (anatase) phase was found. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) results for TiO2 and mixed TiO2-SiO2 films have been presented and discussed. The method developed in this paper allowed obtaining compact and homogeneous TiO2 films. These compact films are highly photoactive when TiO2 is used as photo anode in an photoelectrochemical cell. Nanoporous morphology is obtained when SiO2 colloids are added into the solution. (c) 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.