Rechargeable lithium battery

1. A rechargeable lithium battery, comprising:

a positive electrode;

a negative electrode;

an electrolyte; and

a compound represented by Chemical Formula 1 in at least one of the positive electrode, the negative electrode or the electrolyte:

 wherein:

each of k, l and m is independently an integer of 0 to 20, and each of k, l and m are different from each other such that the compound of Chemical Formula 1 has an asymmetric structure, and

n is an integer of 1 to 7; and

wherein the compound represented by Chemical Formula 1 is present in the positive electrode, the negative electrode or the electrolyte in an amount of about 0.1 to about 10% based on a total weight of the positive electrode, the negative electrode or the electrolyte in which the compound represented by Chemical Formula 1 is present.

2. The rechargeable lithium battery of claim 1 , wherein n is an integer of 1 to 5, and k, l and m are independently integers of 0 to 10.

3. The rechargeable lithium battery of claim 1 , wherein n is an integer of 1 to 3, and k, l and m are independently integers of 0 to 7.

4. The rechargeable lithium battery of claim 1 , wherein n is 1 or 2, k is 0, and l and m are independently integers of 1 to 5.

5. The rechargeable lithium battery of claim 1 , wherein the compound represented by Chemical Formula 1 is 1,3,6-Hexane Tri-Cyanide (1,3,6-tricyanohexane; 1,3,6-HTCN) or 1,2,6-Hexane Tri-Cyanide (1,2,6-tricyanohexane; 1,2,6-HTCN).

6. An electrode composition, comprising:

an electrode active material; and

a compound represented by Chemical Formula 1:

 wherein:

each of k, l and m is independently an integer of 0 to 20, and each has a different value from the other; and k, l and m are selected such that the compound of Chemical Formula 1 has an asymmetric structure, and

n is an integer of 1 to 7, and

wherein the compound represented by Chemical Formula 1 is present in the electrode composition in an amount of about 0.1 to about 10% based on a total weight of the electrode composition.

7. The electrode composition of claim 6 , wherein the electrode active material is a positive active material.

8. The electrode composition of claim 6 , wherein the electrode active material is a negative active material.

9. The electrode composition of claim 6 , wherein n is an integer of 1 to 5, and k, l and m are independently integers of 0 to 10.

10. The electrode composition of claim 6 , wherein n is an integer of 1 to 3, and k, l and m are independently integers of 0 to 7.

11. The electrode composition of claim 6 , wherein n is 1 or 2, k is 0, and l and m are independently integers of 1 to 5.

12. The electrode composition of claim 6 , wherein the compound represented by Chemical Formula 1 is 1,3,6-Hexane Tri-Cyanide (1,3,6-tricyanohexane; 1,3,6-HTCN) or 1,2,6-Hexane Tri-Cyanide (1,2,6-tricyanohexane; 1,2,6-HTCN).

13. An electrolyte composition, comprising:

a solvent;

a lithium salt; and

a compound represented by Chemical Formula 1:

 wherein:

each of k, l and m is independently an integer of 0 to 20, and each of k, l and m are different from each other such that the compound of Chemical Formula 1 has an asymmetric structure, and

n is an integer of 1 to 7, and

wherein the compound represented by Chemical Formula 1 is present in the electrolyte composition in an amount of about 0.1 to about 10% based on a total weight of the electrolyte composition.

14. The electrolyte composition of claim 13 , wherein n is an integer of 1 to 5, and k, l and m are independently integers of 0 to 10.

15. The electrolyte composition of claim 13 , wherein n is an integer of 1 to 3, and k, l and m are independently integers of 0 to 7.

16. The electrolyte composition of claim 13 , wherein n is 1 or 2, k is 0, and l and m are independently integers of 1 to 5.

17. The electrolyte composition of claim 13 , wherein the compound represented by Chemical Formula 1 is 1, 3, 6-Hexane Tri-Cyanide (1,3,6-tricyanohexane; 1, 3, 6-HTCN) or 1, 2, 6-Hexane Tri-Cyanide (1, 2, 6-tricyanohexane; 1, 2, 6-HTCN).