This study presents a simple method to fabricate superhydrophobic surface based on ZnO nanoneedles. ZnO nanoneedles had been constructed on zinc layers by immersing in an aqueous NH4OH solution at 80 degrees C. The ZnO films were characterized by X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The ZnO films exhibited excellent superhydrophilicity (contact angle for water was 0 degrees), while they changed wettability to superhydrophobicity with a water contact angle greater than 150 degrees after further chemical modi. cation with n-dodecanoic acid. The procedure reported here only needs readily available reagents and laboratory equipments, which can be applied to various substrates of any size and shape. (C) 2008 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.