Microemulsion-mediated solvothermal synthesis and photocatalytic properties of crystalline titania with controllable phases of anatase and rutile

► Rutile-anatase mixed-phase have been successfully synthesized by a microemulsion-mediated solvothermal method. ► The contents of anatase in the products can be controlled by simply changing the amount of urea. ► The as-prepared TiO2 containing 47.6% anatase and 52.4% rutile presented the highest photocatalytic activity.