One-step Zr/Te co-doping enables bulk–surface coupled stabilization in Ni-rich layered oxide cathodes

Nickel-rich layered oxides (LiNiₓCo y Mn 1-x-y O₂) are widely considered the most promising cathodes for next-generation lithium-ion batteries. However, further improvement in nickel content and cutoff voltage induces severe structural degradation and interfacial instability, particularly in conventional polycrystalline particles. Although single-crystalline cathodes alleviate grain-boundary cracking, the enlarged particle size hampers Li + diffusion and remains vulnerable to internal stress accumulation from the abrupt H2–H3 phase transition. Herein, we propose a one-step dual-modification strategy combining Zr and Te co-doping to simultaneously enhance bulk and interfacial stability in LiNi 0.94 Co 0.03 Mn 0.03 O 2 cathode. The introduction of Zr and Te dopants suppresses Li + /Ni 2+ cation mixing and mitigates lattice contraction associated with the H2–H3 phase transition. Meanwhile, Te surface segregation generates a Li–Te–O passivation layer that effectively protects the cathode from electrolyte corrosion. As a result, the modified cathode exhibits excellent cycling stability with 90.2% capacity retention after 100 cycles at 1C, representing a 10.8% improvement over the pristine cathode. This work presents a rational and scalable co-doping strategy that simultaneously reinforces bulk structural integrity and interfacial stability, providing valuable insight into the design of durable Ni-rich layered oxide cathodes for high-energy-density lithium-ion batteries.