A method for making metal oxide and/or mixed metal oxide particles comprising: forming a first phase comprising a mixture of water, a metal source, a first catalyst, a first surfactant, and a first alcohol, wherein the metal source comprises a metal alkoxide, a hydrolyzable organometallic compound, oxo metal oligomers, or mixtures of two or more thereof, wherein the first catalyst is chosen from an acid type catalyst, preferably hydrochloric acid, nitric acid, sulfuric acid, phosphoric acid, fluoric acid, formic acid, acetic acid, propionic acid, butanoic acid, pentanoic acid, hexanoic acid, monochloroacetic acid, dichloroacetic acid, trichloroacetic acid, trifluoroacetic acid, oxalic acid, malonic acid, sulfonic acid, phthalic acid, fumaric acid, citric acid, maleic acid, methylmalonic acid, adipic acid, p-toluenesulfonic acid, or combinations of two or more thereof, or a base catalyst, preferably chosen from ammonium hydroxide, quaternary ammonium hydroxides, hydroxylamines, derivatives of hydroxylamines, amino pyridines, or combinations of two or more thereof, and wherein the first surfactant is a co-surfactant system comprising a non-polar compound and a slightly polar compound chosen from tertiary alcohols, cyclic alcohols, or combinations of two or more thereof, preferably a tertiary alcohol; adding the first phase to a second phase comprising water, a second alcohol, and a second surfactant to form a blend, wherein the second surfactant comprises a nonionic surfactant, wherein the nonionic surfactant is preferably chosen from a polyethoxylate, a polypropoxylate, a phenolate, a polyol having a molecular weight of 400-100,000, or a combination of two or more thereof; treating the blend with a phase enhancer, the phase enhancer being chosen from a primary alcohol of one to ten carbons, or a secondary alcohol; and reacting the blend with a second catalyst to form particles. forming a first phase comprising a mixture of water, a metal source, a first catalyst, a first surfactant, and a first alcohol, wherein the metal source comprises a metal alkoxide, a hydrolyzable organometallic compound, oxo metal oligomers, or mixtures of two or more thereof, wherein the first catalyst is chosen from an acid type catalyst, preferably hydrochloric acid, nitric acid, sulfuric acid, phosphoric acid, fluoric acid, formic acid, acetic acid, propionic acid, butanoic acid, pentanoic acid, hexanoic acid, monochloroacetic acid, dichloroacetic acid, trichloroacetic acid, trifluoroacetic acid, oxalic acid, malonic acid, sulfonic acid, phthalic acid, fumaric acid, citric acid, maleic acid, methylmalonic acid, adipic acid, p-toluenesulfonic acid, or combinations of two or more thereof, or a base catalyst, preferably chosen from ammonium hydroxide, quaternary ammonium hydroxides, hydroxylamines, derivatives of hydroxylamines, amino pyridines, or combinations of two or more thereof, and wherein the first surfactant is a co-surfactant system comprising a non-polar compound and a slightly polar compound chosen from tertiary alcohols, cyclic alcohols, or combinations of two or more thereof, preferably a tertiary alcohol; adding the first phase to a second phase comprising water, a second alcohol, and a second surfactant to form a blend, wherein the second surfactant comprises a nonionic surfactant, wherein the nonionic surfactant is preferably chosen from a polyethoxylate, a polypropoxylate, a phenolate, a polyol having a molecular weight of 400-100,000, or a combination of two or more thereof; treating the blend with a phase enhancer, the phase enhancer being chosen from a primary alcohol of one to ten carbons, or a secondary alcohol; and reacting the blend with a second catalyst to form particles.