Compared　with　traditional　nanoparticle　materials,　inorganic　nanocomposites　with　ordered　and　porous　structure　are　superior　in　specific　surface　area　and　adsorption　capacity,　showing　tremendous　application　potential　in　the　field　of　adsorption,　separation,　catalysis　and　so　forth.　Among　them,　the　diatomite　are　one　of　the　most　spectacular　examples　of　natural　inorganic　ordered　porous　materials　with　a　unique　pattern　of　nano-sized　features.　In　the　past,　diatomite　were　developed　and　utilized　in　an　extensive　pattern,　and　the　major　application　for　diatomite　is　restricted　to　building　materials,　filter　fillers,　etc.　In　recent　years,　the　research　and　utilization　of　diatomite　has　gradually　become　a　hot　spot　in　the　field　of　micro　and　nano-technology,　thanks　to　their　unique　shapes　and　ordered　porous　structures　at　the　micro-and　nanoscale,　high　specific　surface　area,　favorable　thermal　stability　and　cost-effectiveness　advantages.　A　series　of　theoretical　and　technical　problems　concerning　diatomite　are　raised　in　micro-and　nano-scale,　and　the　related　research　results　have　already　applied　to　industry　and　people＇s　livelihood.　It　is　not　surprising　that　these　promising　natural　materials　with　unique　structures　has　been　considered　as　candidate　raw　materials　for　energy　conversion　and　storage　devices.　Nevertheless,　diatomite　have　many　limitations　such　as　high　resistivity,　which　are　not　favourable　for　energy　conversion　and　storage　and　other　applications.　Accordingly,　considerable　efforts　have　been　paid　for　optimization　of　diatomite.　Specifically　speaking,　one　approach　is　to　load　a　particular　material　with　satisfactory　electrochemical　properties　on　the　surface　of　diatomite,　and　the　silica　hydroxyl　group　on　the　surface　of　diatomite　can　be　used　to　match　the　valence　bond　with　the　modification　material.　Meanwhile,　porous　structure　of　diatomite　with　high　specific　surface　area　will　contribute　to　greatly　improve　the　electrochemical　properties　of　diatomite　based　composites.　Another　approach　is　to　transform　diatomite　into　another　kind　of　material　with　high　conductivity.　The　application　of　diatomite-based　composite　materials　in　energy　storage　has　attracted　extensive　attention　and　exhibited　great　potential.　Three-dimensional　porous　materials　have　a　wide　range　of　applications　in　the　environmental　field.　Surface　modification　can　endow　diatomite　with　excellent　performance　of　the　three-dimensional　porous　material.　For　instance,　the　arrangement　of　valence　bonds　on　the　surface　of　nano-metal　oxides　can　be　significantly　varied　by　the　combination　of　silicon　hydroxyl　groups　on　the　surface　of　diatomite　and　the　nano-metal　oxides　through　hydrogen　bonding,　thereby　affecting　the　properties　of　the　materials.　Besides,　a　great　deal　of　work　has　been　carried　out　on　the　research　of　diatomite-based　composite　materials　in　the　environmental　field　at　home　and　abroad.　The　functional　composites　are　achieved　by　controllable　deposition　of　functional　materials　on　diatomite　surface.　This　composite　material　maintaining　the　pore　structure　of　diatomite　and　high　specific　surface　area　provides　a　large　number　of　active　sites　for　functional　materials,　and　significantly　improves　the　performance　of　diatomite-based　composite　materials.　Diatomite-based　composite　materials　are　emerging　research　subjects,　which　have　been　studied　and　applied　in　many　fields,　including　supercapacitors,　lithium　batteries,　heavy　metal　pollutant　adsorption,　degradation　and　catalysis.　According　to　the　research　status　of　diatomite-based　composites　both　at　home　and　abroad　in　recent　years,　the　latest　progress　of　application　of　novel　diatomite-based　composites　in　energy　storage　and　pollutant　adsorption,　degradation　and　catalysis　is　demonstrated.　©　2019,　Materials　Review　Magazine.　All　right　reserved.