Boehmite nanorod/gold nanoparticle nanocomposite film for an easy-to-use optical humidity sensor

Nanocomposite films consisting of gold nanoparticles (Au NPs) and boehmite nanorods (NRs) were synthesized via simple wet chemical methods. The nanocomposite film exhibited an excellent optical sensing capability of humidity utilizing the refractive-index-dependent localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR), which directly enables low-cost and easy-to-use remote humidity monitoring. It has been revealed that the superior performance of the Au-NP/boehmite nanocomposite film is owing to porousness, smoothness, and hydrophilicity of the boehmite matrix.