An anatase titania particle with a honey-comb-like pore structure (200nm-pore size) and a controllable outer diameter (0.2-1 mu m) was successfully prepared using a spray-drying method. As a precursor, an anatase nanoparticle (5 nm) and a polystyrene particle (200 nm) were used as a titania source and a colloidal template, respectively. The outer diameter could be controlled by varying the precursor concentration. The photocatalytic performance of a porous particle was faster than that of a dense particle (with a similar outer diameter). (C) 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.