Abstract: The theoretical developments and experimental study status of vapor nucleation on fine particles are reviewed. The heterogeneous nucleation theories are summarized as the classical heterogeneous nucleation theory, the density functional theory and the molecular dynamics Monte Carlo theory, and their characteristics of the three theories are analyzed. Combined with the application of water vapor heterogeneous condensation in emission control of PM2.5 from combustion, the purports and methods for the study of heterogeneous nucleation and condensation of supersaturated vapor on fine particulates are presented.