Ferritin is used in materials science as a precursor in making iron nanoparticles for carbon nanotube growth by chemical vapor deposition.
Cavities formed by ferritin and mini-ferritins (Dps) proteins have been successfully used as the reaction chamber for the fabrication of metal nanoparticles (NPs). Protein shells served as a template to restrain particle growth and as a coating to prevent coagulation/aggregation between NPs. Using various sizes of protein shells, various sizes of NPs can be easily synthesized for chemical, physical and bio-medical applications.
Experimental COVID-19 vaccines have been produced that display the spike protein's receptor binding domain on the surface of ferritin nanoparticles.