This paper demonstrated a convenient method to prepare water-soluble hydrophobic agent and create super-hydrophobic film on the basic material of phosphating film and electroless Ni-P composite coating on carbon steels. Water contact angles and rolling angles of superhydrophobic films were 155-168 degrees and 2-3 degrees on phosphating films, respectively, 145-155 degrees and 15-20 degrees on electroless Ni-P composite coatings, respectively. This water-soluble hydrophobic agent was white latex and had lots of micro-particles suspending in it. The thickness of the single-layer super-hydrophobic film with good corrosion resistance and stability was about 2-3 mu m. The microstructure of super-hydrophobic film was discussed using XRD, EDS, optical and electronic microscope as analytical methods. This kind of super-hydrophobic film had a great many micro-particles dispersing in the surface, which contained F and Si and greatly increased the roughness of the surface. (c) 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.