TiO2 thin films are deposited by means of an atmospheric pressure blown arc discharge fed with nitrogen and titanium bis(acetylacetonate) diisopropoxide (TIPO) as precursor. Different power densities and distances between the plasma nozzle, the precursor injector and the substrate are investigated and different morphologies, compositions and crystallinities of the coatings are generated. The photocatalytic properties of the coatings, determined from the degradation of stearic acid shined by a 254 nm UV light, are shown to be strongly related to the film characteristic and therefore to the deposition parameters. (C) 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.