Battery plates useful in bipolar battery assemblies and methods of preparation

A battery plate comprising:

• a) a substrate having a first surface opposing a second surface and one or more nonplanar structures;
• b) one or more active materials disposed on the first surface, the second surface, or both the first surface and the second surface;
• c) one or more projections extending from the first surface, the second surface, or both of the substrate that are disposed within and do not extend beyond the active material;
• wherein the battery plate is adapted to form part of one or more electrochemical cells in a battery assembly;
• and
• wherein the battery plate is one of the following:
• i) a monopolar plate in which the one or more active materials is applied to the first surface of the substrate while the second surface remains free of any of the one or more active materials;
• ii) a bipolar plate in which the one or more active materials are disposed on both the first surface of the substrate and the second surface of the substrate, the one or more active materials on the first surface function as an anode, and the one or more active materials on the second surface functions as a cathode;
• or
• iii) a dual polar plate in which the one or more active materials are disposed on both the first surface of the substrate and the second surface of the substrate, the one or more active materials on the first surface and the second surface function as the anode or the one or more active materials on the first surface and the second surface function as the cathode.