This review gave a brief description on the synthesis, characterizations and applications of Pt/SBA-15 in heterogeneous catalysis. Pt/SBA-15 has attracted a great deal of interest in catalysis in the past decades due to its excellent catalytic performances exhibited in the reactions such as CO oxidation, aerobic alcohol oxidation, toluene hydrogenation. Whereas, the preparation of active and stable Pt/SBA-15 material for catalysis use is still a challenging topic, as the surface of SBA-15 is relatively inert and the surface Pt NPs tend to aggregation at high temperatures, or leaching in liquid medium. Thus, for a defined reaction, the selection of a proper method and an understanding to the features of the method are essential before synthesizing Pt/SBA-15 and using it for reactions. In this review, the synthesis method, physicochemical properties and catalytic performances of Pt/SBA-15 prepared by different methods were overviewed. These introductions are base for new researcher working in this field, but are also necessary for experienced scientists who want to explore new fields. (c) 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.