A new approach for synthesis of dry and well-shaped anatase titania nanocrystals by different methods of synthesis, like sol-gel and precipitation, is reported. The significance of this new method is the dehydration of titania agglomerates by simple azeotropic distillation to afford uniform and reproducible anatase nanocrystals with particle size < 20 nm and average surface area as high as 106.44 m(2) g(-1). (C) 2008 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.