ELECTRODE ASSEMBLY AND RECHARGEABLE BATTERY INCLUDING SAME

Disclosed is that an electrode assembly and a rechargeable battery including the same, and the electrode assembly includes a plurality of unit cells overlapping in a thickness direction, a first functional unit cell disposed at an outermost first surface of the plurality of unit cells and a second functional unit cell at an outermost second surface that is opposed to the first surface, wherein each of the first functional unit cell and the second functional unit cell include an outer unit cell including a negative electrode, a positive electrode and a separator disposed between the negative electrode and the positive electrode, the positive electrode includes a positive current collector, a positive active material layer disposed on at least one surface of the positive current collector and including a positive active material having a first reference potential, and a first functional layer disposed on the positive active material layer and including a first active material having a lower second reference potential than the first reference potential.