Negative electrode for a rechargeable lithium battery and rechargeable lithium battery including the same

1. A negative electrode for a rechargeable lithium battery, the negative electrode comprising:

a current collector; and

a negative active material layer on the current collector, the negative active material including a carbon negative active material;

wherein:

an electrode density of the negative electrode is in the range of about 1.0 g/cc to about 1.5 g/cc, and

a DD (Degree of Divergence) value as defined by the following Equation 1 is about 24 or greater,

DD (Degree of Divergence)=( I a /I total )*100  [Equation 1]

wherein, in Equation 1,

I a is a sum of peak intensities at non-planar angles measured by XRD using a CuKα ray,

I total is a sum of peak intensities at all angles measured by XRD using a CuKα ray,

the non-planar angles denote 2θ=42.4±0.2°, 43.4±0.2°, 44.6±0.2°, and 77.5±0.2°, and

all the angles denote 2θ=26.5±0.2°, 42.4±0.2°, 43.4±0.2°, 44.6±0.2°, 54.7±0.2°, and 77.5±0.2°.

2. The negative electrode for a rechargeable lithium battery as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the DD value of the negative electrode is about 24 to about 70.

3. The negative electrode for a rechargeable lithium battery as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the DD value of the negative electrode is about 24 to about 60.

4. The negative electrode for a rechargeable lithium battery as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the electrode density of the negative electrode is about 1.0 g/cc to about 1.4 g/cc.

5. The negative electrode for a rechargeable lithium battery as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the electrode density of the negative electrode is about 1.0 g/cc to about 1.2 g/cc.

6. The negative electrode for a rechargeable lithium battery as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the negative electrode has a single surface loading level (L/L) of about 6 mg/cm 2 to about 65 mg/cm 2 .

7. The negative electrode for a rechargeable lithium battery as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the negative active material layer has a thickness of a single surface except a substrate of about 40 μm to about 650 μm.

8. The negative electrode for a rechargeable lithium battery as claimed in claim 7 , wherein the negative active material layer has a thickness of a single surface except a substrate of about 40 μm to about 450 μm.

9. The negative electrode for a rechargeable lithium battery as claimed in claim 7 , wherein the negative active material layer has a thickness of a single surface except a substrate of about 40 μm to about 200 μm.

10. The negative electrode for a rechargeable lithium battery as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the peak intensities are peak integral area values.

11. The negative electrode for a rechargeable lithium battery as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the carbon negative active material is artificial graphite or a mixture of artificial graphite and natural graphite.

12. The negative electrode for a rechargeable lithium battery as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the negative active material layer further includes a Si negative active material, a Sn negative active material, a lithium vanadium oxide, or a combination thereof.

13. The negative electrode for a rechargeable lithium battery as claimed in claim 1 , wherein:

the negative electrode has an active region facing a positive electrode and an inactive region not facing the positive electrode, and

a DD value of the inactive region is about 24 or greater.

14. A rechargeable lithium battery, comprising:

the negative electrode as claimed in claim 1 ;

a positive electrode; and

an electrolyte.

15. The rechargeable lithium battery as claimed in claim 14 , wherein the rechargeable lithium battery is a high power battery.