A battery plate having a substrate with opposing surfaces and one or more nonplanar structures and one or more active materials disposed on at least one of the opposing surfaces; wherein the battery plate includes one or more of: i) one or more projections disposed within but do not extend beyond the active material; ii) one or more projections which project beyond the active material and substantially free of the active material or dust formed from the active material; and/or iii) a frame about the periphery of the substrate which projects beyond the active material and is substantially free of the active material or dust formed from the active material; and wherein the battery plate is adapted to form part of one or more electrochemical cells in a battery assembly.