Negative electrode and negative active material for rechargeable lithium battery, and rechargeable lithium battery including same

A rechargeable lithium battery comprising:

• a negative electrode comprising a current collector;
• and a negative active material layer on the current collector, the negative active material layer comprising a non-carbon-based active material, a lithium salt having an oxalato borate structure, and a high-strength polymer binder;
• a positive electrode including a positive active material;
• and
• an electrolyte including a lithium salt and a non-aqueous solvent,
• wherein the lithium salt having an oxalatoborate structure is present in an amount ranging from about 0.1 to about 10 parts by weight based on 100 parts by weight of the high-strength polymer binder and the polymer of the high-strength polymer binder is selected from the group consisting of polyamide imides, polyimides, carboxymethylcellulose, cross-linking copolymers of polyacrylic acid and carboxymethyl cellulose, and combinations thereof.