The present invention discloses a spherical or spherical-like 
layered structure lithium-
nickel-
cobalt-
manganese composite oxide cathode material as well as preparation methods and applications thereof. A 
chemical formula of the 
cathode material is: LiaNixCoyMnzO2, wherein, 1.0≦a≦1.2, 0.30≦x≦0.90, 0.05≦y≦0.40, 0.05≦z≦0.50, and x+y+z=1. The 
cathode material 
powder is a single α-NaFeO2 type 
layered structure, and 
full width at half maximum of 110 
diffraction peak which is in the vicinity of the X-
ray diffraction angle 2 theta of 64.9° is usually 0.07 to 0.15, and the 
crystal grain size is usually greater than 900 Å and less than 2000 Å. Under 
scanning electron microscope, it can be seen that the 
cathode material is mainly consisted of spherical or spherical-like primary mono-
crystal particles and a small amount of secondary agglomerated particles, and wherein, the particle 
diameter of the primary mono-
crystal particles is 0.5 to 10 μm and a cumulative percentage of particles with a particle 
diameter of less than 0.5 μm is usually greater than 60%. The 
cathode material provided by the present invention has a integral structure and will not crack or break in a long process of circulation. The material 
processing performance is good. And the 
lithium ion battery prepared has excellent high temperature stability, safety and 
high voltage cycling performance.