Hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN) has good high temperature stability and resistance to acid and alkali corrosion.It can form new materials with excellent properties by compounding with a variety of semiconductors,metals and other nanomaterials.However,the wide band gap and chemical inertia limit the wide application of h-BN in catalytic materials.Functionalization of h-BN is an important way to develop new properties of h-BN materials and expand their application fields.The preparation methods of h-BN functionalization at physical and chemical levels were summarized.The new properties of h-BN functional nanomaterials with different morphologies were analyzed by hydroxylation and amination on the surface and edge of h-BN,compounding with metals,constructing heterojunctions,doping non-metal elements and other modification methods.Advances in catalytic and photocatalytic performance of h-BN functionalized nanomaterials were reviewed,including catalytic redox reaction of noble nano-metal/h-BN composites,photocatalytic degradation of organic pollutants by h-BN/ semiconductor heterojunction and photodecomposition of aquatic hydrogen,catalytic redox reaction by hetero-atom doped h-BN,etc.The application prospect of functionalized h-BN nanomaterials was prospected.It was proposed that the functionalization technology of h-BN can be deeply studied in the following aspects:1) prepare an economical and effective metal/h-BN composite catalyst combining with the porous structure propertiesof porous h-BN;2) prepare a high-performance h-BN based catalyst via substitution of B or N elements in h-BN with heteroatoms due tothe induction of －OH and －NH2 active groups at the edge of h-BN;3) design and develop the exact property-oriented functionalized h-BN materialsby combining cutting-edge analytical technology.