Section 1 Classification of Wall and Surface Decoration Materials

Because medical laboratories are expensive to build, they should not be constructed in a spirit of competition or rivalry. Rational design should be based on a comprehensive assessment of the laboratory's main uses, basic performance indicators, biosafety requirements, and the purpose for which the laboratory is being built. Below we give a comprehensive introduction to the materials commonly used in laboratory construction.

I. Color-Coated Steel Sandwich Panels

The substrates of color-coated steel sheets are cold-rolled substrates, hot-dip galvanized substrates, and electro-galvanized substrates. Coating types can be divided into polyester, silicon-modified polyester, polyvinylidene chloride, and plastic sol. The surface finish of color-coated steel sheets can be divided into coated sheets, embossed sheets, and printed sheets. In the construction industry they are mainly used for roofs, walls, and doors of industrial and commercial buildings such as steel-structure factories, airports, warehouses, and cold-storage facilities. The difference between color-coated steel and plastic steel (PVC-steel) lies in the composition of the materials; a magnet will stick to color-coated steel.

Color-coated steel sandwich panel partitions are used in cleanroom fields: Class 100,000–300,000 cleanroom projects, GMP cleanroom projects, ICU clean operating rooms, clean industrial plants, and high-precision laboratories. In medical laboratories, enhanced (negative-pressure) BSL-2 laboratories are required by the relevant codes and standards to use color-coated steel sandwich panels without exception for partitions; even existing exposed brick walls must be clad with a layer of color-coated steel sandwich panels. Consequently, the consumption of color-coated steel sandwich panels in medical laboratories is quite large.

1. Classification of Color-Coated Steel Sandwich Panels

1.1 Foam Color-Coated Steel Sandwich Panels

Foam color-coated steel sandwich panel is an organic material with the characteristics of thermal insulation, light weight, and convenient installation. It has been widely used in recent years. Its disadvantage is that foam color-coated steel sandwich panels burn extremely easily and fail to meet national fire-protection requirements. It is basically no longer used in laboratory construction, as shown in Fig. 8-1.

Fig. 8-1 Foam color-coated steel sandwich panel

1.2 Rock Wool Color-Coated Steel Sandwich Panels

Rock wool color-coated steel sandwich panel is a new type of fire-resistant board with the strongest fire performance in the color-coated steel sandwich panel family. It is made from natural rock, blast-furnace iron-ore slag, and other raw materials that are melted at high temperature and drawn into fibers, then cured and shaped. Rock wool color-coated steel sandwich panels meet the secondary fire-protection requirements for clean industrial plants and are the ideal structural decorative board for indoor suspended ceilings and prefabricated buildings. It has a fire resistance of 600 ℃, reaching Class A fire rating, which polystyrene and polyurethane cannot match. Its core material is non-combustible rock wool, as shown in Fig. 8-2.

Product Advantages

1.2.1 Excellent fire performance: the raw materials, production process, and formulation used for rock wool sandwich panels give them very good fire performance. Tests show that it has a fire resistance capability exceeding 1000 ℃.

1.2.2 Good thermal insulation: the thermal insulation performance of rock wool sandwich panels is based on the thermal conductivity of rock wool = 0.043 W/m·K, calculated according to the thickness of the rock wool core in the corresponding proportion.

1.2.3 Remarkable heat-insulation and sound-absorption effect: rock wool sandwich panels significantly attenuate the transmission of noise.

Fig. 8-2 Rock wool color-coated steel sandwich panel

1.3 Polyurethane Sandwich Panels

Polyurethane sandwich panel is also called polyurethane composite panel, polyurethane sandwich panel, or PU sandwich panel. It consists of upper and lower color-coated steel sheets with foamed polyurethane in between, and is currently one of the more widely used building materials in the construction industry, offering good thermal insulation, heat insulation, and sound insulation; polyurethane with added fire-retardant materials does not support combustion. Because of its good fire and moisture resistance, it is also often used as the edge-sealing core material for composite panels of other materials. Polyurethane edge-sealed composite panels use high-quality color-coated steel sheets as facing materials, continuous rock wool or glass wool as the core material, and high-density rigid foamed polyurethane as the tongue-and-groove filling. They are produced through high-pressure foaming and curing, automatic dense cotton laying, and forming and lamination controlled by an extra-long double-belt press. Compared with traditional hanging-cotton enclosure materials, they offer better fire protection and thermal insulation, more durable performance, convenient installation, and an elegant appearance. The electronics and pharmaceutical industries are developing rapidly, and the manufacturing processes in these industries all require production environments with a high degree of cleanliness. Because the color-coated facing of polyurethane sandwich panels does not easily accumulate dust, is easy to clean, and has few joints, the sandwich panels are widely used as interior wall and ceiling materials in production and working environments with cleanliness requirements. Applications cover many industries, including the production of medical supplies and pharmaceuticals and medical operating rooms, as shown in Fig. 8-3.

Product Performance Features

1.3.1 Low thermal conductivity. Polyurethane sandwich/composite panels have low thermal conductivity and good thermal insulation; they are currently the best thermal insulation material.

1.3.2 Attractive panel shape and convenient installation. 1.3.3 Good fire resistance of polyurethane sandwich panels. 1.3.4 Polyurethane sandwich panels are non-toxic and odorless. 1.3.5 Wide service temperature range. 1.3.6 Waterproof and moisture-proof.

1.4 Glass Wool and Phenolic Foam Sandwich Color-Coated Steel Panels

Glass wool and phenolic foam sandwich color-coated steel panels are slightly more expensive than foam and rock wool color-coated steel panels. Phenolic foam material is a polymer organic rigid aluminum-foil foam product made by foaming thermosetting phenolic resin. It is light-weight, fire-resistant, does not burn on contact with open flame, is smokeless, non-toxic, and non-dripping, has a wide service temperature range (-196 to +200 ℃), and does not shrink or become brittle in low-temperature environments. It offers the advantages of good fire resistance, good thermal insulation, good heat insulation, good sound insulation, strong load-bearing capacity, light weight and environmental friendliness, economy and beauty, and fast construction. It is suitable for exterior and interior partition walls of buildings such as temporary buildings, steel structures, cleanrooms, and cold stores, as shown in Fig. 8-4.

Fig. 8-3 Polyurethane sandwich panel

Fig. 8-4 Glass wool and phenolic foam sandwich color-coated steel panel

1.5 Glass-Magnesium Board

Glass-magnesium board is a high-grade, high-quality magnesium-oxide color-coated steel panel. Unlike the inferior boards that frequently cause engineering problems on the market, its high grade and quality are reflected in good density: it never absorbs moisture or returns halide efflorescence, has high strength and good toughness, is light and easy to fabricate, and is environmentally safe; it is the finest grade of inorganic fire-resistant board. Some of its superior physical properties are difficult for calcium silicate board and gypsum board to replace. Manufacturing process: glass-magnesium board uses carefully selected high-quality magnesium oxide and magnesium chloride as base materials, alkali-resistant glass-fiber cloth for reinforcement, and high-quality plant fiber for toughening and lightness, supplemented with Zhengchuan 5Y modifier for modification. Using scientific formulation ratios, precise batching, mixing and stirring, physical-rate foaming, ambient-temperature curing, high-temperature moisture control, and precise yarn cutting—with perfect procedures and strict quality inspection—a high-quality fire-resistant board is produced. It is a green, environmentally friendly building material strongly recommended by the China Building Decoration Association, as shown in Fig. 8-5.

Features of Glass-Magnesium Color-Coated Steel Panels

1.5.1 Good corrosion resistance;

1.5.2 High-temperature resistance, flame retardancy, and sound absorption;

1.5.3 Works well as wall panel, ceiling panel, or fire-resistant panel;

1.5.4 Vivid colors and attractive appearance; it displays an elegant quality on its own, without any interior or exterior decoration.

Product Specifications

Machine-made type: L × 1150 (950) × D

Handmade type: L × 1180 (980) × D

Note: L is the panel length; it is recommended not to exceed 6 m.

D is the panel thickness: conventionally 50 mm, 75 mm, 100 mm.

Fig. 8-5 Glass-magnesium board

1.6 Expanded Polystyrene (EPS) Foam Sandwich Panels

Expanded polystyrene (EPS) foam sandwich panel is a high-efficiency new composite building material made with color-coated steel sheets as facing layers and closed-cell self-extinguishing polystyrene foam as the core material. An automatic continuous forming machine profiles the color-coated steel sheets, which are then bonded with high-strength adhesive. It is mainly suitable for roofs and walls of public buildings and industrial plants, electronics, pharmaceutical, and food cleanrooms, as well as assembled cold stores, building floor additions, and commercial kiosks. It is light-weight and provides thermal insulation, heat insulation, and waterproofing, with fast construction, long service life, and an attractive, dignified appearance. For anti-corrosion and anti-rust projects, the facing material can be replaced with stainless-steel sheets, as shown in Fig. 8-6.

1.6.1 Product Structure

The inner and outer faces are FRP (fiberglass-reinforced plastic) boards, with a polystyrene foam sandwich layer, laminated under high pressure using German vacuum technology. The surface of the sandwich panel is smooth and dirt can be easily removed; the whole face has vivid colors and excellent gloss retention. The FRP board surface is covered with a high-performance gel coat that has good chemical stability against air, water, and ordinary concentrations of acids, alkalis, salts, and other media; the surface finish is high, gloss retention is excellent, and it does not discolor, resists corrosion, sunlight, and aging.

Custom manufacturing is available: sandwich panels can be made as large as 13.8 m × 3.6 m (length × width), with thicknesses of 25 mm, 45 mm, 55 mm, 65 mm, 75 mm, and 105 mm; sizes can also be produced according to customer requirements.

1.6.2 Product Performance
1.6.2.1 FRP facing panel 0.23
1.6.2.2 Polystyrene foam (EPS) 0.038–0.043
1.6.2.3 80 mm thick composite panel < 0.462; the FRP board surface is covered with a high-performance gel coat.
1.6.3 Product Specifications

Machine-made type: L × 1150 (950) × D

Handmade type: L × 1180 (980) × D

Note: L is the panel length; it is recommended not to exceed 6 m.

D is the panel thickness: conventionally 50 mm, 75 mm, 100 mm.

1.7 Paper Honeycomb Steel Panels

Paper honeycomb color-coated steel panels consist of two formed metal facings (or facings of other materials) and a polymer thermal-insulation core that is foamed and cured to maturity directly between the facings. These finished sandwich panels are easy to install, light-weight, and efficient. The filling system likewise uses a closed-cell molecular structure that prevents condensation of water vapor. The forming of the outer steel sheet fully takes structural and strength requirements into account while also considering appearance; the inner facing is formed as a flat sheet to suit various needs, as shown in Fig. 8-7.

By core material, paper honeycomb color-coated steel panels fall into six types: polystyrene sandwich panels, i.e., EPS sandwich panels (currently the most widely used variety on the market); extruded polystyrene sandwich panels, i.e., XPS sandwich panels; rigid polyurethane sandwich panels, i.e., PU sandwich panels; polyisocyanurate sandwich panels, i.e., PIR sandwich panels; phenolic sandwich panels, i.e., PF sandwich panels; and rock wool sandwich panels, i.e., RW sandwich panels. By facing there are two types: metal facings and non-metal facings. Metal facings are easy to fabricate into various shapes, but in some situations non-metal facings serve functions metal facings cannot, such as corrosion resistance and impact resistance. They are widely used in hospitals, cold stores, building additions, clean workshops, and places requiring thermal insulation and fire protection. The sandwich panels are attractive in shape, bright in color, and good in overall effect; they integrate load-bearing, thermal insulation, fire protection, and waterproofing in one product, require no secondary decoration, are quick and convenient to install with a short construction period and good overall benefits, and are a versatile, highly promising, high-efficiency, and environmentally friendly building material.

1.7.1 Product Features

1.7.1.1 Paper honeycomb sandwich panels are light in weight, high in strength, and flat, making them an ideal material for manufacturing cleanroom doors.

1.7.1.2 The dense honeycomb structure distributes pressure coming from the facing direction, enhancing the strength of the sandwich panel and ensuring that even large-area panels retain excellent flatness.

1.7.1.3 They can be recovered and recycled, which is beneficial to environmental protection.

Fig. 8-6 Polystyrene foam sandwich panel

1.7.2 Product Specifications

Machine-made type: L × 1150 (950) × D

Handmade type: L × 1180 (980) × D

Note: L is the panel length; it is recommended not to exceed 6 m.

D is the panel thickness: conventionally 50 mm, 75 mm, 100 mm.

1.8 Aluminum Honeycomb Color-Coated Steel Panels

Aluminum honeycomb color-coated steel panels use steel sheets on both faces, cold-drawn profile frames around the perimeter, and an aluminum honeycomb core laid inside and bonded into shape. The product has a flat, attractive surface, sound insulation, thermal insulation, heat preservation, seismic resistance, good fire performance, accurate geometric dimensions, and convenient installation that saves time and labor, as shown in Fig. 8-8.

1.8.1 Wide Range of Applications

The product is used for ceilings and enclosures of cleanrooms and for cleanroom products, warehouses, cold stores, and air-conditioner wall panels.

1.8.2 Good Physical and Chemical Properties

The steel faces of the product are high-grade polyester baked coatings, zinc coatings, or stainless-steel sheets, so corrosion resistance is particularly good; the internal filling materials are all Class A fire-retardant materials that do not melt when burning and produce no high-temperature decomposition drippings. It is currently a high-grade fire-resistant building decorative composite panel in China. The product has high strength, impact resistance, and good seismic performance.

1.8.3 Convenient Construction and Installation

The product is made entirely by hand and can be produced to custom lengths and widths according to the buyer's engineering requirements and installed in combination. This not only greatly reduces the foundation and structural engineering costs of the building, but also allows repeated disassembly and assembly; construction and installation are convenient and the overall benefits are very significant.

1.8.4 Product Features

1.8.4.1 Aluminum honeycomb handmade sandwich panels have the advantages of an attractive surface, thermal insulation, seismic resistance, and fire protection.

1.8.4.2 The dense honeycomb structure distributes pressure coming from the facing direction, enhancing the strength of the sandwich panel and ensuring that even large-area panels retain excellent flatness.

1.8.4.3 They can be fabricated into single- or double-glass-magnesium aluminum honeycomb color-coated steel sandwich panels.

1.8.5 Panel Specifications

Length: any length up to ≤ 6000 mm.

Width: standard panels 960 mm, 980 mm, 1160 mm, 1180 mm; non-standard panels any width.

Fig. 8-7 Paper honeycomb color-coated steel panel

Fig. 8-8 Aluminum honeycomb color-coated steel panel

Non-standard panels: any size.

Thickness: 50–150 mm.

1.9 Magnesium Oxysulfate Sandwich Color-Coated Steel Panels

Magnesium oxysulfate sandwich color-coated steel panel is a color-coated steel sandwich panel made by laminating magnesium oxysulfate board strips or magnesium oxysulfate hollow boards with color-coated steel sheets. It fully exploits the unique properties of magnesium oxysulfate composites and offers significant advantages and effects in fire protection, moisture protection, anti-delamination, high strength, thermal insulation, heat insulation, and sound absorption. Production process: in the factory, automated equipment laminates magnesium oxysulfate board and color-coated steel sheets into an integral whole. It is formed in one operation with strong bonding force, as shown in Fig. 8-9.

1.9.1 Unique Properties of Magnesium Oxysulfate Sandwich Color-Coated Steel Panels

1.9.1.1 Excellent fire performance: the production process, raw materials (non-combustible Class A1), formulation, and bonding method used give magnesium oxysulfate sandwich color-coated steel panels good fire performance. Tests show a fire resistance capability exceeding 1200 ℃. A 50 mm thick magnesium oxysulfate sandwich color-coated steel panel has a fire resistance time ≥ 1 H, a 75 mm thick panel ≥ 2 H, and a 100 mm thick panel ≥ 3 H. The magnesium oxysulfate core material has passed testing by the National Fireproof Building Materials Quality Supervision and Inspection Center, and the panels meet the requirements of fire standards GB 8624-2006, GB/T 20285-2006, and GB/T 5464-2010.

1.9.1.2 Thermal insulation performance: the thermal insulation performance of magnesium oxysulfate sandwich color-coated steel panels is based on the thermal conductivity of magnesium oxysulfate = 0.055 W/(m²·K), calculated according to the thickness of the magnesium oxysulfate core in the corresponding proportion.

1.9.1.3 Outstanding waterproof and moisture-proof characteristics. The water absorption of magnesium oxysulfate sandwich color-coated steel panels is ≤ 0.8%; after absorbing water, the magnesium oxysulfate core board has a certain water permeability, will not deform irregularly, and will not undergo chemical reactions; it has very strong stability.

1.9.1.4 High bonding strength between the core board and the color-coated steel sheets (no delamination). The magnesium oxysulfate core material is joined to the color-coated steel sheets in strip form, giving good independent bonding and effectively solving the delamination problem seen on the current market when a whole board is laminated to the steel sheet.

1.9.1.5 Sound insulation performance: the magnesium oxysulfate core material itself is an impermeable solid material with a certain elasticity, so it has good sound insulation.

1.9.1.6 High strength. Product parameters: upper/lower steel sheet thickness 0.4–0.8 mm color-coated steel. Core material: magnesium oxysulfate bulk density 220–280 kg/m³. Thickness 50–200 mm. Tongue-and-groove effective width: 1150 mm; length unlimited. Panel surface protection: PVC protective film applied.

Fig. 8-9 Magnesium oxysulfate color-coated steel panel

1.9.2 Product Specifications

Machine-made type: L × 1150 (950) × D

Handmade type: L × 1180 (980) × D

Note: L is the panel length; it is recommended not to exceed 10 m.

D is the panel thickness: conventionally 50 mm, 75 mm, 100 mm.

1.10 Perlite Color-Coated Steel Panels

Perlite color-coated steel panels use galvanized color-coated steel sheets with a thickness of 0.4–0.5 mm. According to specific customer requirements, galvalume (aluminum-zinc coated) color-coated steel sheets or galvanized steel sheets may also be used. The steel sheets are first roll-formed by a forming machine and then laminated with the core in the rock wool factory. Rock wool core material: expanded perlite bulk material is used as the aggregate, with waterproofing agent and binder added, and is produced through proportioning, screening, pressure forming, drying, and other processes, as shown in Fig. 8-10.

1.10.1 Product Features

1.10.1.1 Fire performance: a 50 mm perlite color-coated steel sandwich panel has a fire resistance time ≥ 2 h; a 75 mm thick panel ≥ 3 h. It meets the fire-wall and ceiling requirements of buildings with national secondary fire-resistance rating.

1.10.1.2 Safety performance (smoke toxicity): the perlite color-coated steel sandwich panel meets the safety AQ1 grade (Safety Grade 1) requirements specified in GB/T 20285-2006.

1.10.1.3 Good thermal insulation and sound insulation: thermal conductivity below 0.12 W/(m·K); it is a thermal insulation material as defined by the state; convenient construction, light weight and high strength, heat insulation and thermal preservation.

1.10.2 Product Specifications

Handmade type: L × 1180 (980) × D

Note: L is the panel length; it is recommended not to exceed 6 m.

D is the panel thickness: conventionally 50 mm, 75 mm, 100 mm.

Fig. 8-10 Example of a color-coated steel sandwich panel partition

2. Grade Performance of Color-Coated Steel Sandwich Panels

Thickness (mm): 50–250

Length (mm): because of continuous forming production, panel length can be determined according to user needs.

Width (mm): 1150 (1200)

Core material performance: polystyrene bulk density: ≥ 15 kg/m³; thermal conductivity ≤ 0.036 W/m·K; maximum service temperature: about 100 ℃.

Rock wool bulk density: ≥ 110 kg/m³; thermal conductivity: ≤ 0.043 W/m·K; maximum service temperature: about 500 ℃; A. non-combustibility: Class B1, B. non-combustibility: Class A.

The substrates of color-coated steel panels can be divided into cold-rolled substrates, hot-dip galvanized substrates, and electro-galvanized substrates.

The coating types of color-coated steel panels can be divided into polyester, silicon-modified polyester, polyvinylidene fluoride, and plastic sol.

The surface finish of color-coated steel panels can be divided into coated boards, embossed boards, and printed boards.

II. Light-Gauge Steel Joist Gypsum Board

In medical laboratories, some walls in the clean area may use light-gauge steel joist gypsum board for partitions.

Light-gauge steel joist is a new type of building material. With the development of modernization in China, in recent years it has been widely used in old-building renovation, interior decoration design, ceilings, and other settings. Light-gauge steel joist partitions are light in weight, relatively high in strength, good in fire resistance, highly versatile, and simple to install; they offer the effects of earthquake resistance, dust resistance, sound insulation, sound absorption, and constant temperature, while also having the advantages of short construction periods, simple construction, and resistance to deformation, as shown in Fig. 8-11.

Fig. 8-11 Light-gauge steel joist gypsum board

To avoid quality problems such as moisture absorption, deformation, and mildew at the base of the partition, a floor sill beam must be made at the bottom of the partition. Light-gauge steel joists use high-quality continuous hot-dip galvanized steel strip as raw material, cold-bent and rolled into a metal framework for construction. They are used for non-load-bearing walls faced with light-weight boards such as paper-faced gypsum board and decorative gypsum board, and for shaping and decorating building roofs. They are suitable as the base material for roof shaping and decoration of various buildings, interior and exterior walls of buildings, and grid-type suspended ceilings. By use there are ceiling joists and partition joists; by cross-section there are V-type, C-type, T-type, and L-type joists. The main performance of light-gauge steel joists is shown in Table 8-1.

Table 8-1 Main grade performance of light-gauge steel joists

Item Special grade Premium grade First grade Qualified grade
Double-side galvanizing mass (g/m) ≥ 150 ≥ 120 ≥ 100 ≥ 80
Zinc coating thickness (μm) 19 16 14 12
Straightness (mm/m) Horizontal and vertical joists Side face 0.3 0.5
Bottom face 0.4 1.0 1.5 2.0

III. Wall Bricks

To reduce laboratory construction costs, when building laboratories, brick masonry is also used for walls in clean areas and in some BSL-2 laboratories; after the surface is plastered and leveled, interior wall latex paint is applied. Both structural solidity and decorative effect are beyond reproach. There are many types of bricks; the following are commonly used.

1. Aerated Concrete Blocks

Aerated concrete block is a new type of wall material made mainly from siliceous materials (fly ash or sand) and calcareous materials (cement, lime), with an appropriate amount of gypsum and a small amount of gas-generating material added, through raw-material treatment, proportioning and mixing, and autoclaved curing. It achieves waste utilization and complies with the national policy of environmental protection and energy conservation. Aerated concrete block equipment products have the advantages of light weight, good thermal insulation, good sound absorption, a certain strength, and workability; they are widely used in construction and have become a preferred building material vigorously promoted and developed in many countries. Aerated block products are widely used for infill walls of building frames, frame and steel structures, and various non-load-bearing walls; this product can be used for non-load-bearing walls and exterior enclosure walls of industrial buildings and civil residential buildings; as thermal insulation material for roofs and floors, it offers good overall thermal insulation, fast construction, and low cost, as shown in Fig. 8-12.

Fig. 8-12 Aerated concrete block

Aerated blocks are rectangular hexahedra; their common production specifications are:

Length: 600 mm

Height: 200 mm, 240 mm, 300 mm

Width: 100 mm, 120 mm, 150 mm, 180 mm, 200 mm, 240 mm

That is, (length × height × width):

600 × 240 × 100, 600 × 240 × 120, 600 × 240 × 150, 600 × 240 × 180

600 × 240 × 200, 600 × 240 × 240, 600 × 240 × 300

2. Clay Bricks

Clay brick, also called fired brick, is a man-made small building block. Clay brick is made mainly from clay (including powders such as shale and coal gangue), through clay preparation, forming, drying, and firing. There are solid and hollow types. Solid bricks are generally called "red bricks"; there are also bluish "blue bricks." Hollow brick is a wall material commonly used in the construction industry in recent years; like red bricks, the common raw materials for hollow bricks are clay and cinder ash. Advantages of hollow bricks: light weight, high strength, good thermal insulation, and good sound insulation and noise reduction. The standard Chinese clay brick specification is 240 × 115 × 53 mm, and the standard hollow brick specification is 390 × 190 × 190 mm. In laboratory construction, without compromising the load-bearing structure of the building, clay bricks or hollow bricks are often used as partition materials in clean areas and BSL-1 laboratories, especially in laboratories with sound-insulation requirements, as shown in Fig. 8-13.

Fig. 8-13 Clay brick

3. Cement Bricks

A new type of wall material called cement brick is manufactured using fly ash, cinder, coal gangue, tailings slag, chemical slag, or natural sand, sea mud, etc. (one or several of the above raw materials) as the main raw material, with cement as the coagulant, without high-temperature firing. Because this material has high strength, good durability, standard dimensions, complete shape, uniform color, and a simple, natural appearance, it can be used as fair-faced walls or for any exterior decoration. It is therefore a highly promising upgrading and replacement product to replace clay bricks. Cement bricks are relatively light in weight and high in strength, require no firing, and use fly ash—a power-plant pollutant—as material, making them relatively environmentally friendly; the state is already vigorously promoting them, as shown in Fig. 8-14. Common cement brick specifications on the market include the 240 × 115 × 53 mm standard brick ("standard brick" for short); the 240 × 115 × 90 mm eight-hole brick; and the 390 × 190 × 190 mm hollow brick, among many other specifications.

Fig. 8-14 Cement brick

IV. Glass Partitions

Glass partition, also called glass partition wall. Its main function is to use glass as a partition to divide space according to need, making more rational use of space. Glass partition walls usually use tempered glass, which has the advantages of wind-pressure resistance, heat/cold resistance, and impact resistance, so they are safer, firmer, and more durable; moreover, if the glass breaks, injury to people is far less than with ordinary glass. In terms of material there are three types: single-layer, double-layer, and art glass. A glass partition is a floor-to-ceiling partition that can completely divide space. Professional high-partition rooms not only fulfill the traditional space-separation function but are also clearly superior to traditional partition walls in lighting, sound insulation, fire protection, environmental protection, easy installation, and suitability for mass production, as shown in Fig. 8-15. Since glass partitions necessarily use glass, it is necessary to understand the characteristics of the various types of glass.

Glass is broadly classified mainly into flat glass and special glass. Flat glass is mainly divided into three types: sheet-drawn flat glass (with groove / without groove variants), horizontal-sheet-drawn flat glass, and float glass. Float glass is becoming the mainstream glass manufacturing method and is extremely commonly used in decoration, from exterior-wall windows to indoor screens and door leaves.

Because float glass has uniform thickness and flat upper and lower surfaces, together with high labor productivity and ease of management, it has become the most-used type of glass. The main types are:

  1. Tempered glass. It is a prestressed glass made by reprocessing ordinary flat glass. Compared with ordinary flat glass, tempered glass has two major characteristics: its strength is several times that of the latter, its tensile strength is more than 3 times higher, and its impact resistance more than 5 times higher. Tempered glass does not break easily; even if it breaks, it shatters into particles without sharp angles, greatly reducing injury to people.

  2. Frosted glass. It is also made by frosting ordinary flat glass. Its thickness is generally below 9 cm, with 5–6 cm thickness being most common.

  3. Patterned (embossed) glass. A flat glass manufactured by rolling. Its greatest feature is that it transmits light but is not transparent; it is mostly used in decorative areas such as washrooms.

  4. Wired glass. An impact-resistant flat glass made by rolling metal wire or metal mesh into the glass sheet. When struck, it only forms radial cracks without falling out and injuring people, so it is mostly used in high-rise buildings and factories with strong vibration.

  5. Insulating glass. Mostly made by the adhesive-bonding method, keeping two glass sheets at a certain interval; the gap contains dry air and the perimeter is sealed with sealing material. It is mainly used in decoration projects with sound-insulation requirements.

  6. Laminated glass. Laminated glass generally consists of two sheets of ordinary flat glass (which may also be tempered or other special glass) and an organic adhesive interlayer between them. When damaged, the fragments still adhere to the interlayer, avoiding injury from flying fragments. It is mostly used in decoration projects with safety requirements.

Fig. 8-15 Glass partition

Fig. 8-16 Glass half-brick wall

V. Glass Half-Brick Walls

A glass half-brick wall is built with red bricks or aerated concrete blocks up to a height of 0.9 m, faced with wall tiles, with a glass partition above 0.9 m. It can be made in the form of large-area glass windows or rows of continuous glass windows, which also look very simple and dignified visually. This partition form can be used between the waiting area and the main biochemistry room; viewed from the waiting area it appears exceptionally modern and grand, and in this case combining it with a large specimen-reception window helps enhance the overall image of the laboratory, as shown in Fig. 8-16.

Fig. 8-17 Wall tiles

VI. Wall Tiles

Wall tiles are suitable for vertical decoration of washrooms and washing/disinfection rooms. Tiling walls is an effective way to protect walls from water splashes. Decorative wall tiles used at skirting lines are both attractive and protect the wall base from being soiled by shoes or the feet of tables, chairs, and stools. Tiles used for sinks and bathrooms must combine beauty, moisture resistance, and wear resistance. Interior wall tiles have a relatively high water absorption and develop color differences after absorbing water; generally, once the wall dries, the color difference disappears. Exterior wall tiles must all pass acid/alkali resistance tests—immersed in 10% acid or alkali solution without discoloration—before leaving the factory, as shown in Fig. 8-17.

The grades of ceramic tiles are divided into two levels according to national standards: premium grade and first grade. Premium grade is the best grade; first grade refers to products with slight defects.

There is also another grade classification for ceramic tiles: 1. Grade A products; 2. Grade B products. Grade A is the best grade; Grade A is divided into AAA, AA, and A, with AAA being the best grade. Grade B products are products with slight defects.

VII. Resin Panels

Resin panel is made from highly light-transmitting resin board through a high-temperature lamination process; it has flame-retardant properties, sound insulation, impact resistance, anti-yellowing, anti-deformation, and chemical-corrosion resistance; it is light-weight, inherently UV-resistant, has a hard surface, and can be shaped freely.

Common materials for eco-resin panels are polymer materials such as PETG, PMMA, PC, and PS that combine good light transmission with a certain strength. Among them, PETG stands out in all aspects of performance and is currently the mainstream material for eco-resin panels. PETG is an amorphous copolyester with a very wide processing range, high mechanical strength, and excellent flexibility. Compared with PVC, it has higher transparency, better gloss, easy printing, and environmental advantages. It can be designed into any shape according to the designer's intent and can be formed by traditional extrusion, injection molding, blow molding, and thermoforming. It is widely used in markets such as sheets, high-performance shrink films, bottles, and profiles, while its secondary processing performance is excellent and it can be finished by conventional machining. It is widely used for wall cladding in the public areas of hospitals and laboratories, with rich colors and diverse textures, as shown in Fig. 8-18.

Environmental protection: LEED certified, 100% recyclable, non-toxic and compliant with FDA standards;

Light weight: total weight is 1/2 that of glass; safe and convenient to install, allowing lighter and more flexible design;

Safety: excellent Class B1 fire rating, non-toxic when burning with an aromatic odor, no corrosive fumes, no drippings;

Outstanding impact strength: 40 times that of ordinary glass and 10 times that of acrylic;

Strong mechanical properties: it can be shaped in any design; cold bending and hot bending are stress-free and do not whiten; the minimum bending radius is 100 times the panel thickness (the minimum bending radius of acrylic is 350 times its thickness), with no cracking; the surface is hard, scratch-resistant, and scuff-resistant, and surface repair treatment is possible;

Stable chemical properties: excellent chemical-corrosion resistance, no yellowing, anti-aging, inherently UV-resistant;

Stable physical properties: high transparency (93%) and gloss, heat deflection temperature 85 degrees.

Fig. 8-18 Resin panel

VIII. Aluminum-Plastic Panels

As a new decorative material, aluminum-plastic composite panel (also called aluminum-plastic panel) has quickly won people's favor through its economy, the diversity of available colors, convenient construction methods, excellent processability, outstanding fire resistance, and noble quality. It is composed of two materials with entirely different properties (metal and non-metal): it retains the main characteristics of the original constituent materials (metal aluminum and non-metal polyethylene plastic) while overcoming their shortcomings, thereby obtaining many excellent material properties, such as luxury, vivid and colorful decorativeness, weather resistance, corrosion resistance, impact resistance, fire protection, moisture resistance, sound insulation, heat insulation, and seismic resistance; it is also light-weight, easy to form and fabricate, and easy to transport and install, as shown in Fig. 8-19 and Fig. 8-20.

The unique properties of aluminum-plastic composite panels themselves determine their wide range of uses: they can be used for building exterior walls, curtain wall panels, renovation of old buildings, interior walls and ceilings of laboratories, and clean dust-proof projects. Because this facing material has very rich textures, it can imitate the decorative effects of wood veneer, marble, and other materials. It is a new type of interior decorative material. It can be used for wall decoration in spaces such as waiting areas and public corridors, offering a very upscale texture and beautiful decorative effect.

Material performance features:

  1. Excellent weather resistance, high strength, easy maintenance.
  2. Convenient construction and short construction period.
  3. Excellent processability, heat insulation, sound insulation, and outstanding fire performance.
  4. Good plasticity, impact resistance, ability to reduce building load, and excellent earthquake resistance.
  5. Good flatness; light yet strong.
  6. Many colors to choose from.
  7. Simple processing tools; on-site fabrication possible.
  8. Patterns and designs can be customized.

Fig. 8-19 Aluminum-plastic panel

Fig. 8-20 Aluminum-plastic panel

IX. Wall Coatings

Wall coatings mainly refer to latex paint, the common name for latex coatings, which originated in the mid-to-late 1970s. They are a large class of synthetic resin emulsion coatings represented by acrylate copolymer emulsions. Latex paint is a water-dispersible coating: it uses synthetic resin emulsion as the binder, with fillers ground and dispersed and various additives added to make a refined coating. Latex paint has many advantages different from traditional wall coatings, such as easy brushing, rapid drying, water-resistant paint film, and good scrub resistance.

In China, people conventionally call a coating made by using synthetic resin emulsion as binder, water as the dispersion medium, with pigments, fillers (also called extender pigments), and additives added through a certain process a latex paint, also called latex coating.

Water-soluble interior latex paint is pollution-free, non-toxic, and free of fire hazards; it is easy to brush, dries quickly, has a water-resistant and scrub-resistant paint film, and soft colors. Water-soluble interior latex paint uses water as the dispersion medium, so there is no environmental pollution from toxic organic-solvent gases, and its good air permeability avoids the blistering defect caused by temperature and pressure differences across the film; it is suitable for painting new walls that are not fully dry. In laboratory interior-decoration projects, the walls of the laboratory's clean areas can all be painted with interior latex paint, which is both economical and practical, as shown in Fig. 8-21.

Fig. 8-21 Latex paint