Superhydrophobic coating was developed on cotton fabric in this article using a dodecafluoroheptyl-containing polyacrylate (DFPA) and nanosilica. Film morphology of DFPA on cotton fibers/fabrics and chemical compositions of the treated cotton fabric were investigated using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), atomic force microscopy (AFM), and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), respectively. DFPA could form a relatively even film on the cotton fabric/fiber under SEM observation; however, it presented a rough and microphase-separated pattern under AFM observation. There were many mountain-like protuberances. The height of the protuberances and the root mean square roughness (Rms) of the film reached about 2050 nm and 12.511 nm in 2 x 2-m2 scanning field (as the scale data was 100 nm). XPS analysis indicated that the perfluoroalkyl groups had the tendency to enrich at the filmair interface. DFPA could make the treated cotton fabric with a water contact angle (WCA) at about 138.5 degrees. Cotton fabric was previously roughened using a 1 wt % silica sol with an average particle size of 2030 nm and then finished by DFPA; hydrophobicity of the resultant cotton fabric was strongly improved, and WCA could reach 153.6 degrees. The color of this superhydrophobic fabric would not be influenced, but its softness decreased compared to untreated fabric. (c) 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci., 2013