Material studies of thin films of porous anodized Al2O3 have been undertaken to determine their applicability as sensing films for application on surface acoustic wave sensors. We describe the production of these films including their growth parameters and provide an analysis of their crystal morphology. These films were then exposed to various concentrations of analyte and their surface areas determined using Brunauer-Emmett-Teller-type analysis. Finally, the surface area as a function of anodization potential is provided for the films.