A novel carbon nanotubes (CNTs)-dispersed route is used to prepare high-activity titanium dioxide nanoparticles (TiO2). Field-emission scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy reveals that the irregular TiO2 nanoparticles with diameters of 10-20 nm are highly dispersed. X-ray diffraction and specific surface area measurement show that high-activity anatase crystal is formed and the specific surface area of TiO2 nanoparticles is 147.36 m(2)/g. The photoactivity of TiO2 was tested by photodegradation of Rhodamine B. The result shows that the photocatalytic activity of TiO2 nanoparticles prepared by the CNTs-dispersed route is three times higher than that by conventional hydrothermal treatment. (C) 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.