Downhole tools having hydrophobic coatings, and methods of manufacturing such tools

A method for forming a downhole tool, the method comprising:

• forming a body of a downhole tool, the body having a composition;
• forming a layer of hydrophobic material metallurgically bonded to a surface of the body, the layer of hydrophobic material comprising a discontinuous phase comprising molybdenum boride dispersed within a first continuous phase comprising a cobalt-chromium metal binder over the body of the downhole tool, wherein forming the layer of hydrophobic material comprises forming the molybdenum boride to constitute between about 40.0 weight percent and about 80.0 weight percent of the layer of hydrophobic material, wherein the cobalt-chromium comprises between about 62.0 weight percent and about 68.0 weight percent cobalt and between about 32.0 weight percent and about 38.0 weight percent chromium:
• and forming an interface between the layer of hydrophobic material and the body, the interface comprising the molybdenum boride dispersed within a second continuous phase, the second continuous phase comprising the cobalt-chromium and the composition of the body, wherein the composition of the body is different from the composition of the cobalt-chromium, wherein the interface exhibits a gradient of the composition of the cobalt-chromium and comprises a higher weight percent of the cobalt-chromium proximate the layer of hydrophobic material than proximate the body, wherein the interface exhibits a gradient of the composition of the body and comprises a higher weight percent of the composition of the body proximate the body than proximate the layer of hydrophobic material.