Triblock cylinders at fluid-fluid interfaces.

We present the interactions and assembly of triblock cylinders at oil-water and air-water interfaces. ABA-type triblock cylinders with different block ratios and surface wettabilities are prepared using a micromolding method. These triblock cylinders at fluid-fluid interfaces induce complex interface deformation depending upon their relative block ratio and the surface wettability. It is observed that triblock cylinders generate octapolar interface deformation at the air-water interface, whereas the same cylinders cause quadrupolar deformation at the oil-water interface. Consequently, the interactions and assembly behavior of these triblock cylinders at each fluid interface strongly depend upon the nature of the interface deformation.