In order to effectively control and reduce the destructive effects caused by hydrogen leakage and explosion accidents, continuously improving the theoretical system of hydrogen suppression. Based on a survey of literature, this article reviews and discusses the current research status of hydrogen explosion characteristics, explosion suppression materials, and explosion suppression mechanisms. In terms of research on hydrogen explosion characteristics, the impact of initial conditions on macroscopic parameters such as explosion limit, explosion pressure and flame propagation speed were mainly studied. In terms of research on hydrogen suppression, summarizes the research progress of hydrogen explosion suppression materials in recent years from five aspects: inert gas, water mist, solid powder, halogenated hydrocarbons and composite suppression. The suppression effects and suppression mechanisms of different materials were comparatively analyzed. The analysis found that the explosion suppression mechanism of inert gas is mainly physical inerting, and a higher concentration of inert gas is required to completely suppress hydrogen explosion. The explosion suppression mechanism of fine water mist is mainly evaporation and heat absorption, but it cannot completely suppress lean fuel hydrogen explosion. Solid powder materials have almost no inhibitory effect on hydrogen explosion. The explosion suppression mechanism of halogenated hydrocarbons is mainly to eliminate H radicals, but halogenated hydrocarbons have an promoting effect on lean fuel hydrogen. The suppression effect of composite explosion suppressants is better than that of a single explosion suppressor. However, there are currently few studies on the suppression of hydrogen explosions by composite suppressants, and the mechanism of explosion needs to be improved. The article proposes that hydrogen absorption materials, eliminate H radical targeted suppression materials and composite explosion suppression materials are the focus of research on hydrogen suppression materials. Using advanced optical diagnostic technology to study the concentration of radicals and explosion flow field characteristics, and using kinetic simulation software to reveal the complex chain reaction process are important means to study the mechanism of hydrogen explosion suppression. Large-scale explosion suppression experiments are more instructive for engineering applications, but there is a lack of large-scale equipment and experimental research.