Methods of producing adsorption media including a metal oxide

1. A method of producing adsorption media, comprising:

forming particles of a metal oxide, the particles having a water content less than approximately 0.5% water, comprising:

dissolving a metal salt in a reaction solvent to form a metal salt/reaction solvent solution;

converting the metal salt in the metal salt/reaction solvent solution to a metal oxide to form a metal oxide/reaction solvent solution;

titrating the pH of the metal oxide/reaction solvent solution with a non-aqueous caustic solution to precipitate the particles of the metal oxide, the non-aqueous caustic solution comprising a caustic agent in an organic solvent;

suspending the particles of the metal oxide in a solvent to form a metal oxide suspension;

dissolving a matrix material in the metal oxide suspension to form a matrix-metal oxide suspension; and

depositing the matrix-metal oxide suspension into an aqueous solution.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein converting the metal salt in the metal salt/reaction solvent solution to a metal oxide comprises introducing oxygen gas or air into the metal salt/reaction solvent solution.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein introducing oxygen gas or air into the metal salt/reaction solvent solution comprises flowing an excess of the oxygen gas or the air into the metal salt/reaction solvent solution.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein titrating the pH of the metal oxide/reaction solvent solution with a non-aqueous caustic solution to precipitate the particles of the metal oxide comprises titrating the pH of the metal oxide/reaction solvent solution to a pH less than approximately 7.0.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein titrating the pH of the metal oxide/reaction solvent solution to a pH less than approximately 7.0 comprises titrating the pH of the metal oxide/reaction solvent solution to a pH between approximately 6.5 and approximately 6.9.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein dissolving a metal salt in a reaction solvent to form a metal salt/reaction solvent solution comprises dissolving a metal salt in a reaction solvent selected from the group consisting of methanol, ethanol, propanol, acetone, and combinations thereof.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein dissolving a metal salt in a reaction solvent to form a metal salt/reaction solvent solution comprises dissolving a chloride, an oxychloride, a sulfate, a nitrate, or an acetate of a metal cation in the reaction solvent.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein suspending the particles of the metal oxide in a solvent to form a metal oxide suspension comprises suspending the particles of the metal oxide in the solvent without washing the particles of the metal oxide.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein titrating the pH of the metal oxide/reaction solvent solution with a non-aqueous caustic solution comprises titrating the pH of the metal oxide/reaction solvent solution with sodium hydroxide dissolved in an organic solvent or with potassium hydroxide dissolved in an organic solvent.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein dissolving a metal salt in a reaction solvent to form a metal salt/reaction solvent solution comprises dissolving a metal salt of a transition metal, a lanthanide or rare earth metal, a Group III metal, a Group IV metal, or a Group V metal in the reaction solvent.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein dissolving a metal salt in a reaction solvent to form a metal salt/reaction solvent solution comprises dissolving an iron(III) salt in dimethylsulfoxide.

12. The method of claim 1 , wherein dissolving a metal salt in a reaction solvent to form a metal salt/reaction solvent solution comprises dissolving iron(III) chloride hexahydrate in dimethylsulfoxide.

13. A method of producing adsorption media, comprising:

oxidizing a metal salt in a reaction solvent to form a metal oxide/reaction solvent solution;

adding a solution comprising potassium hydroxide and an alcohol to the metal oxide/reaction solvent solution to achieve a pH in the metal oxide/reaction solvent solution of less than approximately 7.0 the alcohol selected from the group consisting of methanol, ethanol, and propanol;

precipitating particles of the metal oxide;

suspending the particles of the metal oxide in a solvent to form a metal oxide suspension;

dissolving a matrix material in the metal oxide suspension to form a matrix-metal oxide suspension; and

depositing the matrix-metal oxide suspension into an aqueous solution.