A
composite material formed of reinforcement fibers, acoustical enhancing fibers such as
polyethylene terephthalate (PET) fibers or modified
polyethylene terephthalate fibers, and one or more organic fibers is provided. The acoustical enhancing
fiber may be any
fiber that provides increased or enhanced acoustical
absorbance, particularly at low frequencies. The
composite material may be formed by partially opening wet reinforcing fibers, acoustical enhancing fibers, and organic fibers, mixing the reinforcing, acoustical enhancement, and organic fibers, forming the fibers into a sheet, and bonding the fibers in the sheet. Preferably the reinforcing fibers are wet use chopped strand glass fibers. The
composite material may be formed of a single layer of reinforcement, acoustical enhancement fibers, and organic fibers. Alternatively, the composite material may be a multi-layered composite in which the acoustical enhancement fibers are located in an acoustical layer laminated to a thermal layer formed of the organic fibers and reinforcement fibers.