Engineers have demonstrated the ability to quickly transform the texture of a plastic, switching from a rough to a smooth surface and back.
It has been possible for some time to etch fine textures or patterns onto plastics using a process called electrostatic lithography. Until now, though, the etched patterns were permanently set. The new method, which involves applying different voltages to the plastic surface, takes only milliseconds to switch between various textures.
Read more at Duke University