By adding strong base - but in this way you obtain a kind of soap solution containing micelles. The solubility of an acid with ong paraffinic tail is limited by the size of the alkyl grou.
agree with Dr Gyorgy by adding a strong base (acid base reaction), and in this case you'll get a translucent solution ( due to micelles formation). Stearic acid is a fatty acid mainly used in the formation of surfactants (Non-Ionic Surfactants). You can try to dissolve it in hot purified water (but it'll be dissolved according to its conc. (limited solubility)).
Use of a non-ionic surfactant (mix the stearic acid with neat surfactant such as Nonidet P42) and the stearic acid can be 'solubilized' in water. It's really a formation of a oil-in-water emulsion (stabilized by by the surfactant) as opposed to a true dissolution.
Depending on the final use you can try with mixtures of ethanol with water in worm conditions (30-40°C). I use this method and works quite well for specific goals and you do not mix complex molecules. But I do not know what your final application is...
You may want to check:Article The hydrolysis of soap solutions. II. The solubilities of hi...
Article The solubilities of the normal saturated fatty acids
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