Abstract: A method for making a battery electrode includes roughening the surface of a substrate (10) that constitutes a precursor to the electrode, using an electrolytic solution (12) with electrical potential perturbations applied thereto. The substrate (10) of porous sintered nickel powder is first formed. The electrolytic solution (12) prefereably contains the pure metal that forms the electrode. Then all gases in and around the substrate (10) are preferably removed. Next, the substrate (10) is placed in the solution (12) for a predetermined amount of time. Potential perturbations are then applied to the substrate (10) and the solution (12). The potential peturbations vary between the voltages necessary for electrodissolution and electrodepositon of the substrate (10), and thus, cause the surface of the substrate (10) to be roughened as portions of the substrate (10) are dissolved into the solution (12) and then redeposited onto the substrate's (10) surface.