Glycerol as an efficient mesopore-controlling agent for synthesis of mesoporous-assembled TiO2 nanocrystals and their remarkable photocatalytic H2 production activity

► Mesoporous-assembled TiO2 nanocrystal was synthesized by a modified sol-gel method with the aid of glycerol. ► Glycerol was found to be an efficient mesopore-controlling agent. ► The synthesized TiO2 exhibited much higher H2 production activity than the commercially available TiO2 powders.