The invention provides a secondary lithium battery of which the electrode reaction at the negative electrode is a dissolution-deposition reaction of metallic lithium. The battery comprises a negative electrode which has a first electrode component where a deposition-dissolution reaction of metallic lithium will take place in charging and discharging and a second electrode component to prevent metallic lithium from being deposited in the form of dendrite.
The second electrode component shows electronic-ionic mixed conduction and is preferably semiconductive; examples are Li-intercalating transition metal oxides and sulfides, and Li-ion conductive electrolytes.