Patent ID: 7482382

Claim:
A process comprising the steps of: a) preparing an alcohol-based solution comprising: i. an alcohol solvent; and ii. a basic species, wherein the alcohol-based solution has a pH greater than 7; b) adding metal oxide precursor to the alcohol-based solution to form a reaction mixture, wherein the reaction mixture is maintained at a reaction mixture pH greater than 7, wherein the metal oxide precursor comprises a metal component selected from the group consisting of Al, Ti, Fe, Cu, Zn, Ba, Zr, and combinations thereof; and c) reacting the reaction mixture to form nanosized metal oxide sol, wherein the reaction mixture is maintained at a reaction mixture pH greater than 7, wherein the nanosized metal oxide sol comprises metal selected from the group consisting of Al, Ti, Fe, Cu, Zn, Ba, Zr, and combinations thereof.