TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - INORGANIC CHEMISTRY - Preferred Components: The topography comprises features that are 10 nm to 5 mm or 10-100 mu m, preferably 20-60 mu m. The hydrophobic coating further comprises hair-like surface features. The mixture further comprises particulate having a size of 0.01-50 mu m at a concentration of 0.01-1 g of particulate per ml, and water at a volume ratio of sol-gel to water i.e. 25:10-25:50, or particulate having a size of 0.05-20 mu m at a concentration of 0.05-0.5 g of particulate per ml of sol-gel, and water at a volume ratio of sol-gel to water i.e. 25:25-25:35, preferably particulate having a size of 0.05 mu m at a concentration of 0.1 g of particulate per ml of sol-gel, and water at a volume ratio of sol-gel to water i.e. that is 25:30. The alkoxysilane precursor comprises: ethyltrimethoxysilane, n-butyltrimethoxysilane, hexyltrimethoxysilane, octyltrimethoxysilane, hexadecyltrimethoxysilane, octadecyltrimethoxysilane, and/or dimethyldimethoxysilane; 3-aminopropyl trimethoxysilane, N-(2-aminoethyl)-3-aminopropyl trimethoxysilane, (3-trimethoxysilylpropyl)diethylenetriamine, and/or bis-(3-(trimethoxysilyl)-propyl)-ethylenediamine; 2-cyanoethyltriethoxysilane, bis(cyanopropyl)dichlorosilane, bis(3-cyanopropyl)dimethoxysilane, 2-cyanoethylmethyldichlorosilane, 2-cyanoethyltrichlorosilane, 2-cyanoethyltrimethoxysilane, 3-cyanopropylmethyldimethoxysilane, 3-cyanopropyltrimethoxysilane, 3-cyanopropyltriethoxysilane, 11-cyanoundecyltrimethoxysilane, and/or poly(cyanopropylmethylsiloxane); or tridecafluoro-(1,1,2,2-tetrahydrooctyl)triethoxysilane, poly(3,3,3-trifluoropropylmethylsiloxane), (heptadecafluoro-1,1,2,2-tetrahydrodecyl)trichlorosilane, (heptadecafluoro-1,1,2,2-tetrahydrodecyl)methyldichlorosilane, (heptadecafluoro-1,1,2,2-tetrahydrodecyl)triethoxysilane, (heptadecafluoro-1,1,2,2-tetrahydrodecyl)trimethoxysilane, pentafluorophenyltriethoxysilane, and/or 3,3,3-(trifluoropropyl)trimethoxysilane. The mixture comprises a multiplicity of alkoxysilane precursors, where the multiplicity of alkoxysilane precursors are bis(3-trimethoxysilyl)propyl ethylenediamine and dimethyldimethoxysilane, where the bis(3-trimethoxysilyl)propyl ethylenediamine and dimethyldimethoxysilane are at concentrations so that the molar ratio of ethyltrimethoxysilane to dimethyldimethoxysilane is 1:0.64-1:10 or 1:1-1:6. The coating comprises many layers and each layer is formed from the mixture, and an outermost layer that is formed from the mixture. The contact angle is at least 165 degrees or at least 170 degrees . Preferred Method: The method further comprises drying the deposited hydrophobic sol-gel coating for at least 24 hours. The topography comprises features having a size of 10 nm to 5 mm that are formed by depositing the hydrophobic coating on the substrate, which has a substrate topography, by patterning the hydrophobic coating, and/or by including particulate in the mixture. The topography is formed by: patterning the hydrophobic coating with a template that comprises features that are bumps and/or depressions, having a size of 10 nm to 100 mu m; depositing the hydrophobic coating on the substrate, which has a substrate topography comprising features having a size of 10-100 mu m; and including the particulate in the mixture.    TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - ORGANIC CHEMISTRY - Preferred Components: The template comprises a surface that is an organic polymer that hydrogen bonds with the sol-gel, where the organic polymer is polyester, polyimide, or their copolymers. The template comprises a surface that is an organic polymer that does not form hydrogen bond with the sol-gel, where the organic polymer is polypropylene. Preferred Definitions:    R1a = (-CnH2n+1-), where R1a comprises N, O, S and/or F, amine or CN;    R1b = CH3 or C2H5;    R1c = (-CnH2n-), where R1c comprises N, O, S and/or F, amine or CN; and    n = 1-20, preferably 6-18.    EXAMPLE - No suitable example given.