Zhongxing Zhang joins Breakthrough Energy’s Innovator Fellows program from DeepCycle Eco in Singapore. He has nearly 20 years of R&D experience in sustainable materials and resource recycling, specializing in polymers, biomass, and green technologies. As co-founder and Chief Scientific Officer, he leads scientific research and development activities in DeepCycle Eco. He is passionate about the environment and aims to bridge fundamental science with practical solutions to serve the planet.

DeepCycle Eco is developing a breakthrough technology that can turn plastic waste back into its original building blocks in a clean, efficient, and eco-friendly way. These pure building blocks can then be reused to make new plastics, cutting down waste, reducing carbon emissions and enabling true circularity in plastic lifecycle management. This unique process is simple, fast, selective, and operates under mild conditions—addressing challenges such as excessive chemical use, harsh operating conditions, and low efficiency. The plastics sector is one of the fastest-growing sources of industrial greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, accounting for approximately 3.5% of global GHG emissions. Through the Fellows program, the DeepCycle Eco team is piloting their solution for closed-loop PET recycling, aiming to eliminate plastic pollution and reduce GHG emissions through a circular economy model.

In his free time, Zhongxing enjoys reading and spending time in nature. He received a Bachelor of Engineering in Polymer Engineering from North University of China and a Master of Engineering in Material Science from Beijing University of Chemical Technology and holds Ph.D. in Polymer Chemistry and Physics from Institute of Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences.