engineered composite materials for heat transfer or thermal management applications; composite materials for heat transfer or thermal management applications; composite materials for insulating and/or cooling batteries; composite materials including phase change materials dispersed in a structural matrix material; a thermal management composite, including a matrix formed of a porous metal or graphite material and impregnated with a phase change material, namely waxes, hydrated salts, and microencapsulated materials; graphite foam used as a heat exchanger having preferential directionality of heat transfer between opposing surfaces; battery packs for electronic devices and vehicles, including thermal management composite composites and electrochemical cells; electric storage batteries; lithium ion batteries; batteries for vehicles; lithium-ion batteries for light electric vehicles and energy storage system markets