Abstract: ZrO₂ aerogel is a kind of nano-porous material with a 3D cross-linked network on the main body of ZrO₂. Because of its acid-base duality，redox property，high specific surface area，high porosity，and good thermal and chemical stability，ZrO₂ aerogel has a wide range of applications in thermal insulation，catalysis，adsorption，energy storage，and other fields. In this paper，the preparation process and drying method of ZrO₂ wet gel were summarized. The representative studies and research progress of ZrO₂-based aerogel modification were introduced from the aspects of doping modification and binary compounding. The research advances on ZrO₂ aerogel materials in the fields of heat insulation， catalysis， and adsorption was reviewed. Finally， a prospect on the future research of ZrO₂ aerogel was given.

Key words: ZrO₂ aerogel, preparation method, modification, application