(a) Plasma discharge chemical vapor deposition of acetylene and ammonia on nickel catalyst islands gives 50 nm diameter carbon nanotubes with a height of 2 µm. (b) Hexafluoropropylene oxide gas thermally decomposes to form CF₂ radicals which polymerize into PTFE on the nanotube forest substrate. (c) The surface roughness templated by the nanotube forest and the low surface energy imparted by the PTFE coating produce a superhydrophobic surface.