Rutile titania (TiO2) nanofibers were prepared by electrospinning a polymeric sol containing a titanium precursor and Poly(vinylpyrrolidone) in acetic acid-ethanol mixture and subsequent sintering of the fibers at 800 degrees C. The resultant continuous, polycrystalline porous fibers contained TiO2 grains of 15-20 nm sizes. The continuous fibers were broken down into nanorods by mechanical grinding. Morphology of the nanofibers and nanorods was characterized by scanning and transmission electron microscopies. The crystal structure and polycrystallinity of the fibers were further confirmed by X-ray diffraction analysis. Dye-sensitized solar cells (DSCs) fabricated from the nanofibers and rutile nanorods, respectively, showed superior performance with the later. (C) 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.