A separator for a rechargeable lithium battery comprising: a substrate; and a coating layer disposed on at least one surface of the substrate, wherein the coating layer comprises at least one polymeric binder, wherein the at least one polymeric binder comprises a first polymeric binder having a first average particle diameter and a second polymeric binder having a second average particle diameter less than the first average particle diameter, wherein the second average particle diameter is of less than or equal to 80% of the first average particle diameter; or wherein the at least one polymeric binder comprises a third polymeric binder and a fourth polymeric binder, wherein the third polymeric binder is soluble in a solvent which the fourth polymeric binder is insoluble in, wherein the solvent is N-methyl-2-pyrrolodone, dimethyl formamide, dimethyl acetamide, tetramethyl urea, triethyl phosphate, dimethyl sulfoxide, acetone, methyl ethyl ketone, methyl isobutyl ketone, cyclohexanone or a combination thereof, wherein, when present, the amounts of the first, second, third or fourth polymeric binders present at a surface portion of the coating layer are greater than at an inner portion of the coating layer, the third polymeric binder is selected from the group consisting of polyvinylidene fluoride (PVdF), polyvinylidene fluoride-hexafluoropropylene (PVdF-co-HFP), polyvinylidene fluoride-trichloroethylene, polyvinylpyrrolidone, polyethyleneoxide, polyacrylonitrile, polyimide, polyamic acid, polyamideimide, aramid, polyvinylacetate, an ethylenevinylacetate copolymer, an ethyleneethylacrylate copolymer, polymethylmetaacrylate (PMMA), polyvinylether, carboxylmethylcellulose, polyacrylic acid, polyvinyl alcohol, or a combination thereof, and the fourth polymeric binder is selected from the group consisting of a styrene-butadiene rubber, a butyl rubber, a fluorine rubber, polytetrafluoroethylene, polyethylene, polypropylene, ethylene propylene copolymer, polyvinylpyrrolidone, polyepichlorohydrine, polyphosphazene, polystyrene, ethylene propylene diene copolymer, polyvinylpyridine, chlorosulfonated polyethylene, latex, a polyester resin, a phenolic resin, an epoxy resin, or a combination thereof, and wherein the amount of the second polymeric binder present at a surface portion of the coating layer is greater than at an inner portion of the coating layer or the amounts of the fourth polymeric binder at a surface portion of the coating layer is greater than at an inner portion of the coating layer. a substrate; and a coating layer disposed on at least one surface of the substrate, wherein the coating layer comprises at least one polymeric binder, wherein the at least one polymeric binder comprises a first polymeric binder having a first average particle diameter and a second polymeric binder having a second average particle diameter less than the first average particle diameter, wherein the second average particle diameter is of less than or equal to 80% of the first average particle diameter; or wherein the at least one polymeric binder comprises a third polymeric binder and a fourth polymeric binder, wherein the third polymeric binder is soluble in a solvent which the fourth polymeric binder is insoluble in, wherein the solvent is N-methyl-2-pyrrolodone, dimethyl formamide, dimethyl acetamide, tetramethyl urea, triethyl phosphate, dimethyl sulfoxide, acetone, methyl ethyl ketone, methyl isobutyl ketone, cyclohexanone or a combination thereof, wherein, when present, the amounts of the first, second, third or fourth polymeric binders present at a surface portion of the coating layer are greater than at an inner portion of the coating layer, the third polymeric binder is selected from the group consisting of polyvinylidene fluoride (PVdF), polyvinylidene fluoride-hexafluoropropylene (PVdF-co-HFP), polyvinylidene fluoride-trichloroethylene, polyvinylpyrrolidone, polyethyleneoxide, polyacrylonitrile, polyimide, polyamic acid, polyamideimide, aramid, polyvinylacetate, an ethylenevinylacetate copolymer, an ethyleneethylacrylate copolymer, polymethylmetaacrylate (PMMA), polyvinylether, carboxylmethylcellulose, polyacrylic acid, polyvinyl alcohol, or a combination thereof, and the fourth polymeric binder is selected from the group consisting of a styrene-butadiene rubber, a butyl rubber, a fluorine rubber, polytetrafluoroethylene, polyethylene, polypropylene, ethylene propylene copolymer, polyvinylpyrrolidone, polyepichlorohydrine, polyphosphazene, polystyrene, ethylene propylene diene copolymer, polyvinylpyridine, chlorosulfonated polyethylene, latex, a polyester resin, a phenolic resin, an epoxy resin, or a combination thereof, and wherein the amount of the second polymeric binder present at a surface portion of the coating layer is greater than at an inner portion of the coating layer or the amounts of the fourth polymeric binder at a surface portion of the coating layer is greater than at an inner portion of the coating layer.