Team
Zhongnai Engineering Technology Co., Ltd. boasts a world-class elite R&D team, with its scientific research group centered around Dr. Wang Li, a specially appointed expert of the third batch of the National "Thousand Talents Program" for innovation.
Grounded in science, rooted in originality, and leading the industry, Zhongnai is committed to seizing opportunities through innovation and sustainable development, with the goal of advancing new energy technologies and materials that feature low energy consumption, high efficiency, and environmental friendliness.
The company is dedicated to accelerating technological innovation and new product development, actively attracting top-tier talent. Notably, 80% of our R&D team members hold master's or doctoral degrees.
- Personal Profile
Dr. Wang Li – Project Leader of Zhongnai
Dr. Wang Li, born in 1952, is a Ph.D., professor, and doctoral supervisor. He graduated from the University of Wisconsin in the United States in 1982 with a doctoral degree. From 1982 to 2008, he worked at renowned foreign chemical companies, engaging in R&D activities. During this period, he obtained 17 foreign patents, invented over ten new types of catalysts, all of which have been commercialized, generating nearly 500 million US dollars in revenue for the company, with business performance continuing to grow rapidly. In 2009, he returned to China and was appointed as a specially invited expert in the third batch of the National "Thousand Talents Program" for innovation. Since his return, he has been awarded 9 Chinese patents. He currently serves as the General Manager of Zhongnai Engineering Technology Co., Ltd., overseeing all aspects of catalyst R&D and production.
Dr. Wang Li's R&D expertise spans various fields of petroleum refining catalysts, including catalytic reforming, hydrocracking, and aromatic saturation. He has also worked on the preparation processes and catalyst development for second-generation refrigerants HCFC-141b and HFC-34, the synthesis of carbon molecular sieve adsorbents for natural gas storage in automobiles, and the recycling and decomposition of nylon. His work in each field has yielded tangible industrial outcomes. During his tenure at Honeywell/UOP, he successfully commercialized 9 new catalysts, forming an entirely new generation of hydrocracking catalyst families. Such rapid invention and product launch were deemed unprecedented at Honeywell/UOP. Thanks to his unique research methodologies and exceptional achievements, these new catalysts have been applied worldwide, including in refineries across China. During his industrial career abroad, Dr. Wang Li received high-level leadership training, served as a research manager at a renowned catalyst research center leading a team of nearly 20 people, and obtained Six Sigma Black Belt certification. After returning to China in October 2009, he joined the newly established National Institute of Clean-and-Low-Carbon Energy as Chief Scientist, where he contributed to building the institute's foundation and advancing its growth while actively engaging in scientific research on clean coal utilization. His work included medium-to-low temperature pyrolysis of lignite, pyrolysis oil processing, methanation of coal-based syngas, and Fischer-Tropsch synthesis of fuels from coal-based syngas. To date, he has been granted nine Chinese patents. In May 2014, he transferred to Sinochem Quanzhou Petrochemical as Chief Scientist to initiate R&D efforts and establish a technology company. The company was registered in Xiamen at the end of 2015, with Dr. Wang Li serving as General Manager, fully launching R&D in refining and chemical technologies. The first new hydrocracking catalyst was successfully industrialized in early 2018 and applied to Sinochem Quanzhou's large-scale units. The residue hydrogenation catalyst also completed a 10-month pilot test, with results outperforming currently used commercial catalysts. In May 2019, 500 tons of residue hydrogenation catalysts were successfully produced and applied to Sinochem Quanzhou's large-scale units.
Dr. Wang Li joined Zhongnai Engineering Technology Co., Ltd. in August 2018 as General Manager, taking charge of the overall project initiation, construction, and development. The company's goal is to build an energy technology company with a complete industrial chain encompassing R&D, high-quality production, marketing, and customer service. Currently, the company has assembled a world-class R&D team with Dr. Wang Li at its core, where all researchers hold master's degrees or above. Leveraging the strong policy support from the Changyuan Anti-Corrosion and New Materials Industrial Park, Dr. Wang Li aims to build a world-class chemical technology company dedicated to the sustainable development of low-energy, high-efficiency, and environmentally friendly new technologies and new materials. Dr. Wang Li has always been deeply committed to his country's development. At a time when the nation needed him most, he actively returned to China and has since made outstanding contributions to the advancement of China's petrochemical industry. Dr. Wang Li is a paragon of patriotism, scientific integrity, innovation, and dedication, serving as a role model and an inspiration for Chinese scientists. His major achievements include: 17 foreign patents and 9 Chinese innovation patents; invention and commercialization of over ten new catalyst types, generating nearly 500 million USD in revenue with continued rapid growth; being selected in 2009 as a National Specially Appointed Expert under the Thousand Talents Program; receiving the Outstanding Science and Technology Award from a foreign chemical enterprise in 2008; the Individual Highest Achievement Award from a foreign chemical enterprise in 2007; the "Stine Star" Highest Science and Technology Award from a foreign chemical enterprise in 2004; and the First Prize for Scientific and Technological Progress from Sinochem Group in 2021.
