Structure and surface coverage of water-based stearate coatings on calcium carbonate nanoparticles

► We coated PCC particles coated with stearin in aqueous medium. ► The coating shows an incomplete monolayer and a few physically adsorbed layers. ► We proposed a model based on a micelle adsorption mechanism. ► We also proposed that during drying the physisorbed layers rearrange. ► The model predicts that the aliphatic tails point out of the particles.