A simple two-step process has been developed to render zinc surface superhydrophobic, resulting in low friction coefficient and long wear resistance performance. The ZnO film with uniform and packed nanorod structure was firstly created by immersing the zinc substrates into 4% N,N-dimethylformamide solution. The as-fabricated surface was then coated a layer of fluoroalkylsilane (FAS) by gas phase deposition. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and water contact angle (WCA) measurement have been performed to characterize the morphological feature, chemical composition and superhydrophobicity of the surface. The resulting surfaces have a WCA as high as 156 degrees and provide effective friction-reducing and wear protection for zinc substrate. (C) 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.