The invention relates to a method for the production of a TiO2 material comprising: preliminary mixing a titanium alkoxide with an acid; adding water, a phase separator and of an N source to the mixture thereby obtaining a TiO2 gel; washing the TiO2 gel with isopropanol; drying and calcining the TiO2 gel to produce the material. The invention also relates to a TiO2 material exhibiting an absorbance in the visible spectrum and in particular a light absorption at 500 nm which is greater than 50% of the light absorption at 400 nm, and its use as photocatalyst for the degradation of pollutants in air or water and water splitting into H2, under radiation in the visible spectrum.