The work aims to review recent advances in preparation and application of nanometer ATO. The advantages and disadvantages of preparation methods about ATO were summarized respectively from liquid phase method, solid phase method and gas phase method, and the application status of ATO was described in detail combining with the characteristics of light transmission and heat insulation. The nanometer ATO prepared by liquid phase method had high purity and good uniformity, which was the most commonly used method in preparation nanometer ATO at present. ATO was widely used in special packaging, thermal insulation films, coatings and other fields. Chemical grafting and structural modification can improve the dispersion of ATO nanoparticles in polymer materials, further improve and broaden the application range of ATO nanoparticles, which is also one of the important development directions of ATO nano research in the future.