In this study, polyacrylamide gel method was used for preparation of pure and mixed phase TiO2 nanoparticles. The influence of synthesis conditions on the physicochemical properties of products was investigated. It was found that the type of acid, which was used for acidifying the precursor solution together with calcination temperature can affect the phase structure, crystalline size, morphology and thereby photocatalytic activity of obtained TiO2 nanoparticles. Different trends were observed during the phase transformation, particle growth, shift in energy of band gap with the change in tensile strain to compressive strain of the prepared TiO2 nanomaterial. X-ray diffraction (XRD) showed that prepared nanocrystals, which were calcined at 450 degrees C have pure anatase and anatase-rutile mixed structures. The prepared samples having crystallite size between 5 nm and 60 nm were observed at different calcination temperatures. In addition, the photocatalytic activities of the prepared samples were evaluated by monitoring the degradation of Cresol Red (CR). The results show that the photocatalyst (TECI), exhibits the highest photocatalytic efficiency where 94.7% of CR can be decomposed after UV exposure for 75 min. (C) 2014 The Society of Powder Technology Japan. Published by Elsevier B. V. and The Society of Powder Technology Japan. All rights reserved.