TiO2 nanocrystallites have been synthesized by hydrothermal reaction using tetrabutyl titanate as source material. Acetylacetone was utilized to modify hydrolysis-condensation behavior of the alkoxide and thus coarsening dynamics of TiO2 nanocrystallites in the reaction. With assistance of Fourier transformation infrared spectrum, transmission electron microscopy, selected area electron diffraction and X-ray diffraction, interaction between acetylacetone and tetrabutyltitanate was explored, crystallographic and morphological properties of TiO2 nanocrystallites were monitored. Less hydrolysable complex was formed by "method of chelating" as tetrabutyltitanate was mixed with acetylacetone, leading to retarded coarsening rate of nanocrystallites. The obtained TiO2 nanocrystallites were applied to fabricate nanoporous photoanode of dye sensitized solar cells. Improvement of 18% has been achieved for photo-to-electric energy conversion efficiency of the devices due to both upgraded open circuit voltage and photocurrent density. (C) 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.