Separator for rechargeable lithium battery and rechargeable lithium battery including the same

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

a porous substrate, and

a coating layer on at least one surface of the porous substrate,

wherein:

the coating layer includes:

a heat resistant binder including a (meth)acryl copolymer including a first structural unit and a second structural unit, the first structural unit being a structural unit of a (meth)acrylamide and the second structural unit including a structural unit of a (meth)acrylamido sulfonic acid, a (meth)acrylamido sulfonate salt, or a combination thereof;

polyethylene particles; and

first inorganic particles,

an average particle size (D50) of the first inorganic particles is larger than an average particle size (D50) of the polyethylene particles,

the (meth)acryl copolymer has a glass transition temperature (Tg) of 150° C. or higher, and

the (meth)acryl copolymer is an alternate polymer in which the first and second structural units are alternately distributed or a random polymer in which the first and second structural units are randomly distributed.

2. The separator for a rechargeable lithium battery as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the average particle size (D50) of the first inorganic particles is 1.0 μm to 3.0 μm.

3. The separator for a rechargeable lithium battery as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the average particle size (D50) of the polyethylene particles is 0.1 μm to 1.0 μm.

4. The separator for a rechargeable lithium battery as claimed in claim 1 , wherein a weight ratio of the first inorganic particles and the polyethylene particles is 50:50 to 1:99.

5. The separator for a rechargeable lithium battery as claimed in claim 1 , wherein a weight ratio of the heat resistant binder:a sum of the first inorganic particles and the polyethylene particles is 1:20 to 1:40.

6. The separator for a rechargeable lithium battery as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the first inorganic particles include Al 2 O 3 , SiO 2 , TiO 2 , SnO 2 , CeO 2 , MgO, NiO, CaO, GaO, ZnO, ZrO 2 , Y 2 O 3 , SrTiO 3 , BaTiO 3 , Mg(OH) 2 , boehmite, or a combination thereof.

7. The separator for a rechargeable lithium battery as claimed in claim 1 , wherein:

the first structural unit is included in an amount of 55 mol % to 95 mol %, based on 100 mol % of the (meth)acryl copolymer, and

the second structural unit is included in an amount of 5 mol % to 45 mol %, based on 100 mol % of the (meth)acryl copolymer.

8. The separator for a rechargeable lithium battery as claimed in claim 7 , wherein the second structural unit includes:

a structural unit of a (meth)acrylic acid, a (meth)acrylate, a (meth)acrylonitrile, or a combination thereof in an amount of 0 mol % to 40 mol %, based on 100 mol % of the (meth)acryl copolymer, and

the structural unit of a (meth)acrylamido sulfonic acid, a (meth)acrylamido sulfonate salt, or a combination thereof in an amount of 0 mol % to 10 mol %, based on 100 mol % of the (meth)acryl copolymer, provided that the second structural unit is included in a total amount of 5 mol % to 45 mol %, based on 100 mol % of the (meth)acryl copolymer.

9. The separator for a rechargeable lithium battery as claimed in claim 8 , wherein:

the first structural unit is represented by Chemical Formula 1,

the second structural unit of a (meth)acrylic acid, a (meth)acrylate, or a (meth)acrylonitrile is represented by Chemical Formula 2, Chemical Formula 3, Chemical Formula 4, or a combination thereof, and

the second structural unit of a (meth)acrylamido sulfonic acid, or a (meth)acrylamido sulfonate salt is represented by Chemical Formula 5, Chemical Formula 6, Chemical Formula 7, or a combination thereof:

in Chemical Formula 1 to Chemical Formula 7,

R 1 to R 7 are each independently hydrogen or a C 1 to C 6 alkyl group,

R 8 is a substituted or unsubstituted C 1 to C 20 alkyl group,

L 1 is —C(═O)—, —C(═O)O—, —OC(═O)—, —O—, or —C(═O)NH—, L 2 to L 5 are each independently a substituted or unsubstituted C1 to C10 alkylene group, a substituted or unsubstituted C3 to C20 cycloalkylene group, a substituted or unsubstituted C6 to C20 arylene group, or a substituted or unsubstituted C3 to C20 divalent heterocyclic group,

a, b, c, d and e are each independently an integer of 0 to 2, * is a linking point, and

M is an alkali metal.

10. The separator for a rechargeable lithium battery as claimed in claim 1 , wherein a thickness of the coating layer is 1 μm to 5 μm.

11. The separator for a rechargeable lithium battery as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising a heat resistant layer or an adhesive layer.

12. The separator for a rechargeable lithium battery as claimed in claim 11 , wherein:

the separator includes the heat resistant layer,

the heat resistant layer is on at least one surface of the porous substrate, and

the coating layer is on another surface of the porous substrate or on a surface of the heat resistant layer.

13. The separator for a rechargeable lithium battery as claimed in claim 11 , wherein:

the separator includes the adhesive layer, and

the adhesive layer is on a surface of the porous substrate, a surface of the heat resistant layer, or a surface of the coating layer.

14. The separator for a rechargeable lithium battery as claimed in claim 11 , wherein:

the separator includes the heat resistant layer, and

the heat resistant layer includes a heat resistant binder and second inorganic particles.

15. The separator for a rechargeable lithium battery as claimed in claim 14 , wherein an average particle diameter of the second inorganic particles is 0.1 μm to 3.0 μm.

16. The separator for a rechargeable lithium battery as claimed in claim 11 , wherein:

the separator includes the adhesive layer, and

the adhesive layer includes a particle-shaped (meth)acryl adhesive binder or a particle-shaped fluorine adhesive binder.

17. The separator for a rechargeable lithium battery as claimed in claim 11 , wherein:

the separator includes the adhesive layer, and

a thickness of the adhesive layer is 0.1 μm to 1.0 μm.

18. A rechargeable lithium battery, comprising:

a positive electrode;

a negative electrode; and

the separator for a rechargeable lithium battery as claimed in claim 1 .