Positive electrode, method of manufacturing the same, and rechargeable lithium battery including the same

A method of manufacturing a positive electrode, the method comprising:

• forming a first positive electrode active material layer by coating a first slurry on a positive electrode current collector;
• and
• forming a second positive electrode active material layer by coating a second slurry on the first positive electrode active material layer, wherein:
• the first slurry comprises a first binder, a first solvent, and a first positive electrode active material,
• the second slurry comprises a second binder, a second solvent, and a second positive electrode active material,
• at least one of the first solvent and the second solvent comprises an aqueous solvent,
• at least one of the first binder and the second binder comprises an aqueous binder,
• the second binder comprises a styrene-acrylic rubber (SAR), and
• a thickness ratio of the first positive electrode active material layer to the second positive electrode active material layer is in a range of about 13:7 to about 19:1.

A rechargeable lithium battery, comprising:

• a positive electrode;
• a negative electrode;
• and
• a separator between the positive electrode and the negative electrode, wherein
• the positive electrode comprises a positive electrode current collector, a first positive electrode active material layer on the positive electrode current collector, and a second positive electrode active material layer on the first positive electrode active materials layer,
• the first positive electrode active material layer comprises a first binder,
• the second positive electrode active material layer comprises a second binder, and
• the first binder comprises a rubber-based binder,
• the second binder comprises a styrene-acrylic rubber (SAR), and
• a thickness ratio of the first positive electrode active material layer to the second positive electrode active material layer is in a range of about 13:7 to about 19:1.