The high surface area and curvature of nanoparticles can have affects on the properties of molecules adsorbed to their surfaces. This is of interest both in the case of nanoparticles and for nanoscale features on planar surfaces. Lipids are known to self assemble as bilayers on both planar surfaces and on beads, but the effects of decreasing particle size has not been investigated in detail. In the case of spherical nanoparticles of SiO2, both the size and surface functionality can be controlled and characterized by dynamic light scattering, transmission and scanning electron microscopy. In thus study, the adsorption and morphology of the lipids 1,2 dipalmitoyl-sn-glycero-3 phosphate (DPPC) and 1,2 dimyristoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (DMPC) have been investigated for SiO2 nanoparticles in the size range of 5 to 500nm, using thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), nanocalorimetry, and FTIR spectroscopy. The expected amount of lipid to form bilayer structures was based on the occupied surface area of the lipids for planar surfaces and the surface area of the nanoparticles, and compared with the experimental weight losses from TGA. Within the experimental uncertainties of both the measurements, bilayer coverage was obtained on all bead sizes. FTIR data confirmed that the alkane chains in the bilayers, below their phase transition temperatures, were in the ordered state. The nanocalorimetric data showed interesting trends, namely a decrease in Tm and an increase in DT1/2 with decrease in particle size, followed by the opposite trend for beads below 20nm. This data was interpreted using a model in which lipid bilayer interdigitation occurred.