How do I keep an oil-based ferrofluid from sticking to the sides of a
glass container?
I am trying to build a project that involves a transparent container
containing about a pint of ferrofluid(in combination with some liquid
it won't mingle with). However I am having problems with the
ferrofluid sticking to the sides. So far, I've had the best success
filling a lab-grade pyrex container full of distilled water and then
adding the ferrofluid, but the ferrofluid still "stains" random spots
on the container. I've tried commercial products(mask defog, rain-x),
with no success. I do know, however, that this can be done, as I have
seen it in a commercial product(don't remember where). Your help would
be greatly appreciated.

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Request for Question Clarification by denco-ga on 22 Oct 2006 19:15 PDT

Howdy amateureschatologist-ga,

This article has two suggestions.
http://mrsec.wisc.edu/Edetc/background/ferrofluid/FF_demo.html

"Pretreatment of the glass tube by: 1) soaking it overnight in a strong
solution of KOH in ethanol or 2) by coating the inside with Scotchgard
spray and drying will help the ferrofluid drain more rapidly."

This article has another treatment.
http://arxiv.org/PS_cache/cond-mat/pdf/9904/9904189.pdf

"These plates were cleaned using soap and alcohol and then rinsed with
ROPure water."

I am posting this a request for clarification, so you can try these
methods to see if one works, before I post this as the answer to your
question.  Thanks!

Looking Forward, denco-ga - Google Answers Researcher