In this research, a method for the fabrication of nickel nanocones through the addition of CaCl2 center dot 2H(2)O to an electrodeposition solution was proposed. When electrodeposition was performed after CaCl2 center dot 2H(2)O addition, precipitation of the Ni ions onto the (200) crystal face was suppressed and anisotropic growth of the nickel electrodeposited structures was promoted. Sharper nanocones were produced with increasing concentration of CaCl2 center dot 2H(2)O added to the solution. Moreover, when temperature of the electrodeposition solutions approached 60 degrees C, the apex angle of the nanostructures decreased. In addition, the nanocones produced were applied to superhydrophobic surface modification using a plasma-polymerized fluorocarbon (PPFC) coating. When the solution temperature was maintained at 60 degrees C and the concentration of the added CaCl2 center dot 2H(2)O was 1.2 M or higher, the fabricated samples showed superhydrophobic surface properties, The proposed nickel nanocone formation method can be applied to various industrial fields that require metal nanocones, including superhydrophobic surface modification. (C) 2016 Published by Elsevier B.V.