The study addresses the mechanical failure of nickel-rich layered oxide cathodes during (de)lithiation, a common issue in lithium-ion batteries. The authors introduce a novel strategy to uniformize stress distribution in secondary particles using the Kirkendall effect, which involves introducing exotic metal/metalloid oxides (such as Al₂O₃ or SiO₂) as heterogeneous nucleation seeds. This method generates a dopant-rich interior structure with a central Kirkendall void, leading to improved structural and electrochemical reversibility. The resulting cathode material exhibits a high specific energy density of 660 Wh kg⁻¹ after 500 cycles with an 86% retention rate. The uniform stress distribution and the formation of a central void in the cathode material effectively inhibit crack formation, enhancing the mechanical integrity and cycle stability of the cathode. The study suggests that this approach can be applied to a wide range of nickel-rich layered oxide cathode materials, offering a promising solution to the structural instability issue.The study addresses the mechanical failure of nickel-rich layered oxide cathodes during (de)lithiation, a common issue in lithium-ion batteries. The authors introduce a novel strategy to uniformize stress distribution in secondary particles using the Kirkendall effect, which involves introducing exotic metal/metalloid oxides (such as Al₂O₃ or SiO₂) as heterogeneous nucleation seeds. This method generates a dopant-rich interior structure with a central Kirkendall void, leading to improved structural and electrochemical reversibility. The resulting cathode material exhibits a high specific energy density of 660 Wh kg⁻¹ after 500 cycles with an 86% retention rate. The uniform stress distribution and the formation of a central void in the cathode material effectively inhibit crack formation, enhancing the mechanical integrity and cycle stability of the cathode. The study suggests that this approach can be applied to a wide range of nickel-rich layered oxide cathode materials, offering a promising solution to the structural instability issue.